Plans are underway to complete the Apo-Karshi Road four years after the contractors started work.
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Bello said the FCT administration was ready to pay an additional N324m provided the contractors would finish the work quickly.
Bello disclosed this when he inspected the road under construction since 2011 in the company of the FCT Permanent Secretary, Dr. Babatope Ajakaiye, FCDA Executive Secretary, Mr Adamu Ismaila to ascertain what was hindering the progress of the project.
He assured that his administration will make payments as quickly as possible for the matured certificate pending, but told the contractor to deliver the project.
According to a statement issued by the Deputy Director/Chief Press Secretary, Muhammad Sule, the Minister regretted that Apo-Karshi Road, which is not more than 13.25km, has taken about four years so far, without completion; adding “what we have seen is a sign of what has been very wrong with us as a people”.
He wondered how “a contractor that prides himself to be one of the upcoming local contractors, how it will take us four good years to construct only about 10 kilometers of road. This is absolutely amazing”.
He said, “I have heard from the contractor and I have heard from the FCTA engineers handling this project. Based on explanations, this contract work was awarded to a contractor that was not even willing to do the job”.
Bello reiterated, “they just gave him this contract and he reluctantly accepted”.
The Minister said that he received a lot of complaints about the company, “and I understand they are doing about two districts – one in the city; another also on the way to the airport”.
Bello lamented that if this company will build just over nine kilometers in four years, then it may not have the capacity to continue all the existing contracts.