… Wike Frowns at Contractor’s Delayed Work on Kwali’s Pai-Gomani Road Project
By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
The Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, is to partner with the private sector on the successful operation of bus terminals across the nation’s capital.
The FCT Minister Barr. Nysome Wike made this known on Saturday after a routine inspection of ongoing projects at the Abuja Central Bus Terminal and the Pai -Gomani Road project in Kwali Area Council.
The FCT minister disclosed that the Administration plans to partner with private individuals to contribute buses and taxis, all painted in the Abuja colour, but the government will open the operations with its fleet of vehicles, adding that the aim of the initiative is to help to eliminate the “one chance” syndrome by ensuring vehicles are identifiable.
“Eventually, the government will have to partner with the private individuals, but for now the government has to put in their contribution so we can start off the operation of the bus terminals with vehicles that will be painted in the Abuja colour.”
“That again will help as we try to eliminate the one chance syndrome. You know you are entering a vehicle, and you can identify it. So private people are also going to be part of it, but this is our contribution before that starts,” he stated.
While inspecting the Central Business District bus terminal, Wike commended the contractor for doing a good job in comparison to the commissioned Kugbo and Mabushi bus terminals.
He said, “As regards the bus terminal in Central Area, I am quite impressed with the quality of the job. If you check it, it is quite different from the one commissioned in Kugbo and Mabushi. The contractor is bent on finishing it by the end of the year. I believe by then the vehicles that were procured for the take-off of those terminals would have also arrived.”
Meanwhile, after an inspection of Kwali, 15 kilometers from the Pai/Gomani road, Wike frowned at the slow pace of work , delay, and nonperformance of the contractor on the crucial road that connects remote communities in the Kwali Area Council to the Abuja/Lokoja Expressway.
The minister revealed that the 15-kilometer Pai-Gomani road project was awarded before the A2 to Pai section of the road of the same length, which has since been completed and commissioned.
Furthermore, he decried the issue of unauthorized cost variation on the project, lamenting that the purported variation amount was nearly equivalent to the original project cost, which exceeded his ministerial approval limit.
“Frankly speaking, I’m not too impressed. That road was awarded before the A2 to Pai, and we have commissioned that. It appears there isn’t much communication between the STDD and the contractor.”
“There appear to be issues of variation, and I am not too comfortable with that, and when we go back, we will look at that, and those who did not do what they are supposed to do will have to be sanctioned because people believe that you can go ahead without certain approvals. I don’t have the power to give that kind of approval when it comes to that kind of amount of money.
The minister threatened to sanction any official within the Satellite Town Development Department (STDD) found culpable for carrying out work or recommending variations without following the required approval process .
“The Satellite Town Development did not seek approval because the amount I was told is almost the same amount that the original cost was awarded, and you know I don’t have such power.”
“ That contract was awarded by the Federal Executive Council, so it is beyond my power, and for you to get that, you have to write to the President to get approval for variation, and then you go back to the Department of Public Procurement to approve the cost, and then you go back to the Federal Executive Council for the final approval. That’s why I said those who carried it out without seeking approval will have to be sanctioned,” he said.
The minister also revealed the award of a new contract for 13 kilometers of the Gomani to Yangoji road to be carried out by Zeberced Construction Company, which also executed the A2-Pai road project.”
According to him, the contractor has exhibited capacity to deliver a good job in time for the third anniversary celebration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The FCT Minister used the occasion to also emphasize the commitment of the FCT Administration to the provision of rural infrastructure in accordance with the Renewed Hope Agenda, citing the unprecedented developmental projects across the FCT Area Councils, including the newly re-awarded Apo-Karshi road and the Kubwa to Bwari road projects, among others, as examples.
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