By Hillary Asemota
The Minister of Works. Engr. David Umahi on Thursday lambasted RCC and Nigercat even as he expressed disappointment at the slow pace of ongoing works by the contractors: RCC and Nigercat on the Enugu-Onitsha road.
Umahi, said the ongoing appraisal of the current state of roads across the country is in furtherance of federal government’s directive to review the performance of all inherited ongoing and new road projects nationwide, adding that this is part of efforts to alleviate the sufferings of road users.
He directed both contractors handling the construction of the 107km road dualization to brace up for the implementation of the policies of the Renewed Hope administration with respect to speed and quality of work.
He urged the contractors to show commitment to project execution and care for the road users by maintaining one carriageway of the dual carriageway under construction to mitigate the sufferings of road users.
This directive came during a crucial meeting of the Ministry with MTN that is funding the construction of Enugu-Onitsha road dualization under road infrastructure development and refurbishment investment tax credit scheme.
Spokesperson for the Minister, Barr. Orji Uchenna Orji, in a statement, acknowledged that representatives of Enugu State government and the two contractors handling the project under the tax credit scheme – RCC Ltd and Nigercat Ltd, were at the meeting which held at the Ministry’s Headquarters, Mabushi- Abuja on 8th August 2024.
The Minister, according to Orji, recalled that the Enugu-Onitsha dual carriageway is being funded by MTN under the tax credit scheme expressed disappointment on the condition of the road under construction blaming the sufferings of the road users on lack of commitment and sheer insensitivity of the contractors on the plight of the road users.
He said, “The MTN has engaged the subcontractors, two subcontractors, RCC Ltd and Nigercat Ltd. The first time I supervised that project, I discovered that the Nigercat section where we have a binder course had failed.
“I directed that the binder course must be scarified and reinstated, and I knew it was inherited. I want to believe that it has been done.”
He stated further: “Let me express my disappointment over the slow pace of work on that project. It’s one of the worst roads in this country. Everywhere we have diversion; diverting from the one that RCC and the Nigercat had completed, the contractors are not kind enough to even put stone based on the diversion points.
“So, by the reason of the launching of our Operation Free our Roads, it is now a violation of policy on the side of the controllers and directors of the Federal Ministry of Works where we have vehicles falling on any project that is ongoing or where there are pot holes on our roads.
“Last Sunday, I inspected that road with the Governor of Enugu State and we saw the level of suffering of people at the Abakpa section of that road where RCC Ltd was putting binder, about 3.5 km of the road, and they blocked it.
“And so, everybody now resorted to using one carriageway which is not even maintained.
“People stayed there for 5 hours and that is not acceptable. I have continued to say that Nigerians should not be suffering while contractors are building roads for our people. It does not happen in any other country, the way it happens in Nigeria.
“The public must know that the President’s intention is not for them to suffer while trying to fix the roads, and it is their right to insist that contractors should fix the roads that they are engaged on. Most of the time, contractors bring very serious nuisances, hardships, and pains to the public, and they don’t care.”
The Minister thanked the government of Enugu State for their resolve to fund the construction of 20km Abakpa junction to Akama (9th Mile) section of Enugu – Onitsha road on rigid pavement and the construction of a flyover bridge at Abakpa junction to be refunded through MTN Tax Credit.
He expressed hope that MTN would still execute the construction of the second phase of the 107km x 2 road dualization, added.
“Why Enugu State government is intervening is because of the slow pace of work by the contractors and because of funding issues. The essence of tax credit is for funds to be made available. And so, I don’t see RCC going to keep to their promise to finish this project in 6 months.
“My advice to MTN is to look for another contractor within that axis if they want to get the job done. Division of labour is even the best. While they are doing the road, and if Nigercat is doing a good job, you can give them greater scope to do if you want to finish that job.” Umahi, said.
According to him, contractors delaying jobs are on their own as it is now the policy of Federal Government, not to accept a phased handover of projects and has phased out VOP in contract administration.
He maintained that the contractors must work in line with the Renewed Hope agenda, maintain all roads handled by them until they are fully completed and handed over to government.
He further said to RCC: “When where you are working is almost going bad, it’s better to get it finished. As a policy, we are not doing a phased handover. You have to finish your job, and then we inspect it, and if you take 10 years to finish your job, it’s your duty to maintain the one that you have done that is failing”
The Minister re-emphasized the policy of the current administration, which de-emphasizes VOP but is open to contract review using prevailing rates, adding: “We’ve agreed on how to review the projects from Certificate No. 12, and it is the prevailing rates that we’re going to give to you.
“And so, there will be no VOP when we review the job, and we should all work very hard to see that within two weeks, we get these documents down to BPP and see if we can take it to FEC this month.”
He, however, noted that the slow pace in the progress of work on the Enugu-Onitsha road dualization does not lie in funding but in the execution by the contractors.