Abuja – December 12, 2023 – Viewpoint Housing News.
The second Niger Bridge, which was built and handed over to the ministry of works by the contractor, may not be operational until the two bypasses in Asaba (Delta State) and Onitsha (Anambra State) are finished, says Minister of Works Dave Umahi.
he bemoaned the fact that building the bypasses may cost up to N260 billion. According to him, the lack of funds was the reason why the building had not yet begun.
he stated this when he appeared before the National Assembly joint committee on Works for the 2024 budget defence.
Speaking about the project, Umahi stated, “In addition, there remains the construction of the approach roads 2A and 2B which were awarded by FEC (Federal Executive Council) but have funding challenges to start,”
“The remaining two bypasses in Asaba (2A) and Onitsha (2B) awarded to Julius Berger Nigeria Plc and Reynolds Construction Company Nigeria Ltd. respectively during the last administration were initially estimated at about N200bn.
“Now with inflation, the cost may be up to N260bn. There is no funding for these projects and the projects have not taken off. Let me note that without these bypasses, the completed second Niger Bridge will be almost inoperative.” he added.
The Senate however frowned on the non-completion of road projects by contractors across the country.
Mpigi Barinada, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Works, expressed disapproval of certain contractors’ conduct and stated that the Senate will make sure that no public monies were wasted.
“We oppose a scenario in which contractors are mobilised, and upon visiting their locations due to project supervision, you won’t find contractors at the majority of those sites,” he said. For example, the contractor in charge of Aba-Owerri Road repair in Abia State has been called upon. He hasn’t done any work as of yet. He’s collected around N76 million.
“Akwa-Ibom State’s 21-kilometer Bende in Abia is also in need of rehabilitation; the contractor was paid N445 million but showed no performance.”
Additionally, N336 billion had been spent on the second Niger Bridge, according to Mrs. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Local Content. However, she added, “we have been informed that the bridge will remain inoperative if we do not have two critical roads completed and that, as stated, will amount to N260 billion.”Funding has not been made available for this. It’s also crucial that you use a comprehensive method when choosing Nigeria’s road networks to avoid not finishing items A and B, which would prevent fixing items A and C, which are essential to item B’s operation.
“The Abuja-Lokoja-Auchi Road has been under construction for over 20 years. Year in, year out, we have observed budgetary provisions but it has not been completed and several lives have been lost almost on a daily basis. It connects approximately 20 states, and looking at the budget, the only thing I have seen that connects Okene is special repair of Okene-Ajaokuta-Itakpe Road at N10m.
“We should take this road, the Abuja-Lokoja Okene-Auchi, road as a priority.”
Akpoti-Uduaghan said further that as much as possible, raw materials for road construction should be sourced locally.
Earlier, Umahi said in 2023, the ministry generated N723m as revenue from January to November, adding that the revenue realised had been remitted to the Consolidated Revenue Account.
He said N657bn was proposed for the ministry and its parastatals for capital, personnel and overhead estimates in the 2024 Appropriation Bill.
