The Nigerian government, through the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing has threatened to terminate the contract for the dualisation of the Abaji-Koton-Karfe road, due to five months negligence by the contractor.
At a cost of US $42.2m Bulletine Construction Company Ltd was awarded the road project section III (Abaji-Koton-Karfe) C/No.5884, part of the dualisation of the Abuja-Lokoja Road.
The 49.4km project which was commissioned on October 12, 2006, was initially expected to be complete by April 11, 2009; however, the date was later extended to March 12, 2014.
The site has been inactive since December 2017, labourers have not been deployed on site, and for this reason the government is considering termination of the project.
According to Dayyabu Mamman, Director of Highways Constructions and Rehabilitation of the ministry, the contractor has spent 12 years on the project with only 54.48% completion and has applied for extension of contract period despite having received US $4.5m advance payment.
Also read:Â Nigeria approves reconstruction of Aba-Port Harcourt, Lagos-Ota Roads
Negligence
Meanwhile, Peter Omenye the company’s site agent has confirmed the contract has been neglected due to labour related issues concerning workers salaries and entitlement. In fact, the workers have refused to work until they are paid all their entitlements.
Meanwhile, the dualisation of Abuja-Lokoja road, section IV (Koton-Karfe-Lokoja) Obajana junction, C/No. 5885 is being handled by Gitto Construction Company with 61% completion.
The minister had earlier inspected the dualisation project of Abuja-Abaji-Lokoja road (section 1), contract No. 5862 including spur to Airport junction
The major works completed include the construction of new road 11.4km along Airport road Spur, rehabilitation of existing road 10.04km, and construction of interchange at Giri and Gwagwalada among others.
