THE Minister of Works, David Umahi has terminated the Federal Government road contracts awarded to Mothercat, RCC and Dantata & Sawoe for the dualisation of the Obajana-Benin road project sections two, three and four.
According to the Minister, the termination was due to lack of seriousness on the part of the contractors.
In a statement, the minister’s Special Adviser on Media Uchenna Orji, in Abuja, stated that there was was undue delay in the completion of the contracts which led to the expiration of the contracts, awarded since on December 3, 2012.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that “the Federal Ministry of Works has terminated contract numbers 6136, 6137 and 6138 with Mothercat Ltd, Dantata & Sawoe Construction Ltd and RCC Ltd respectively.
”The projects affected by this termination are the dualisation of Obajana – Benin road and section II, (Okene – Auchi) in Kogi/Edo.
”Others are the dualisation of Obajana – Benin road, section III (Auchi – Ehor) and the dualisation of Obajana – Benin road section IV (Ehor – Benin) both in Edo.
”The termination of the said contracts became necessary in view of the inordinate delay of the affected companies in job performance,’’ Orji said.
Umahi said that it was also due to their failure, neglect and or refusal to fulfil their contractual obligations as required by the standard conditions of the contract.
“This has affected the timely completion of the projects, which has resulted in the expiration of the contracts by effluxion of time.
“The projects were advertently abandoned by the contractors and no genuine commitment or good faith was shown towards executing the projects after accepting the considerations offered by the Federal Government.
“This thereby is exposing the road users to untold hardship due to the deplorable condition of the projects,’’ he said.
Umahi noted that the engineers in charge have, therefore, been directed to take the necessary steps and arrange with the affected companies for a joint measurement of the so far.
The minister stated: ”The Federal Ministry of Works under my watch will not condone acts of unseriousness and sabotage by contractors whose plan is to become a clog in the wheel of progress of the Renewed Hope administration.
”Going forward, the government will not hesitate in terminating all projects that are funded but are non-performing.”
