Nigeria’s Minister of Works, David Umahi, has expressed frustration over the poor state of the Abuja-Minna federal road, accusing the contractor, Salini Nigeria Limited, of failing to make significant progress on the project.
Umahi, who traveled by road from Abuja to attend a stakeholders’ meeting in Minna, stated that despite reports claiming the project was 84.5% completed and payments made, he saw no tangible work being done on the ground.
During his address at the stakeholders’ engagement at the Legbo Kutigi Conference Hall in Minna, Umahi revealed that he had to stop and question the claim of completion, stating that there was no visible work on the ground to justify the contractor’s reports.
He emphasized that such neglect would not be tolerated, vowing to take decisive action to ensure the project is either completed or re-awarded to a more capable contractor.
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Governor Umaru Bago of Niger State also condemned the condition of the Abuja-Minna road, calling for the revocation of the contract with Salini Nigeria Limited and its re-award to more reliable firms such as Hitech or CCECC, which have demonstrated their ability to complete projects on time, including the Abuja-Kaduna road.
He also highlighted plans to establish a cement factory in the state, leveraging its abundant raw materials.
The Minister of Works assured the stakeholders that the federal government, under President Bola Tinubu’s leadership, was committed to addressing the challenges posed by incomplete infrastructure projects across the country.
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