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Tag: Bodo-Bonny road

  • BREAKING: Tinubu opens Bodo-Bonny Road, ends decades of river, helicopter transport travails

    BREAKING: Tinubu opens Bodo-Bonny Road, ends decades of river, helicopter transport travails

    President Bola Tinubu in his Renewed Hope Agenda has inaugurated the temporary use of the 37.9km Bodo-Bonny Road, ending many decades of travails caused by river transport and costly helicopter service for residents of the historic Bonny Kingdom and Ogoni communities.

    The multi-billion naira project, awarded and abandoned on December 11, 2014, but later revived on October 20, 2017, by Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, was inaugurated after it reached 90.98 per cent completion.

    Speaking through the Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, during the colourful ceremony at Bodo and Bonny axis of the road, President Tinubu described the infrastructure as a flagship achievement of his Renewed Hope Agenda.

    He said, “The dream of the Bonny Kingdom has come true; the dream of the Bodo Kingdom has come true. No more risky journeys through the busy Bonny River, no more expensive helicopters, no more untold hardships to reach this blessed island.”

    “For now, the road is open only for light vehicles from 7am to 7pm daily. Heavy-duty trucks, motorcycles and tricycles are barred until final completion targeted for March 2026.”

    Tinubu applauded the efforts of Julius Berger especially the Project Manager, who he said ensured that no obstacle stood in the way of the project.

    “I have made a commendation to Julius Berger especially Engineer Tim, I think if Engineer Tim was the Managing Director of Julius Berger we wouldn’t have had all the fights we had in so many places”, he said.

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    He urged Rivers State Government to provide 20 plots of land each at the Bodo and Bonny ends for the construction of trailer parks.

    He warned that indiscriminate parking by trucks would not be acceptable as it would accelerate the road’s deterioration.

    The Senate Committee on Works Chairman, Senator Barinada Mpigi poured encomiums on President Tinubu love for Ogoni people and pledged continued support for the administration.

    Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Benibo Anabraba, thanked President Tinubu for rescuing the project from abandonment and pleaded for more federal interventions.

    He said, “This is the temporary opening of the Bonny-Bodo Road but Mr President it is a permanent joy for the people of Bonny, Bodo and Rivers State. Like Oliver Twist, we will ask for more.”

    Julius Berger’s Project Manager, Mr. Tim Nippert, confirmed 35km of the dual carriageway were fully motorable, assuring delivery of the remaining sections in the first quarter of 2026.

    The Bodo-Bonny Road with 11 bridges, is the first federal road linking the mainland directly to Bonny Island, home to Nigeria LNG and other multi-billion dollar oil and gas investments.

  • FG approves N280b for completion of Bodo-Bonny road

    FG approves N280b for completion of Bodo-Bonny road

    The Federal Government has approved N280b for the completion of the Bodo-Bonny road project with a December 2024 completion deadline to Julius Berger Nigeria (JBN) PLC, the Minister of Works, David Umahi has informed.

    The government also condemned the attitude of Reynolds Construction Company (RCC) on the 15km East-West Road project (from Port Harcourt Eleme Junction to Onne Port Junction) for failing to complete even a kilometer of the project despite being mobilized with over N40b.

    The contractor has been ordered to resume work with an ultimatum or face the risk of the contract being terminated.

    The government said it will no longer entertain discussions on Variation of Price (VOP) on the two projects again.

    In a statement on Wednesday by the Minister’s Special Adviser on Media, Uchenna Orji, the approval of the fund for the completion of the Bodo-Bonny Road was in furtherance of the resolve of President Bola Tinubu to solve the perennial transportation challenges in Bodo-Bonny, South-South Nigeria, and thus enhance the socio-economic prospects of the two communities of Rivers State.

    The Minister, while on an inspection tour of project sites on the Southern axis on Wednesday, expressed reservation over the progress of work on the Bodo-Bonny project administration by the contractor, JBN, insisting that the amount of money paid needed to correspond with the project completed.

    The Minister was accompanied by Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate Sen. Onyekachi Peter Nwaebonyi, the spokesperson to the Bodo-Bonny Peace Committee, Prof. Jasper Jumbo, and Nigeria LNG (NLNG) representative and Manager Government Relations, Dienye Godson.

    While he advised the contractor to work round the clock to beat the project delivery timeline of December 2024, the Minister established that no further excuses would be entertained by the government on the project delivery timeline.

    He also foreclosed discussions on another Variation On Price (VOP), affirming that the Federal Government would not approve further funds for the project for any reason of variation whatsoever.

    “And in case the devil comes to play, whatever happens, we are not increasing this project cost. It’s a package, and it’s called lump sum final completion package to Julius Berger to do a beautiful job and attach their name.

    “It has been 11 years, and we don’t want it to exceed this year. And so it is in your interest that you cooperate,” he further added during the site visit,

    “I will be asking Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, is there anything that the Minister of Works and NLNG will do to fast track this engagement so that we can arrive at the destination by the 15th of December 2024?” the Minister was quoted as saying.

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    Umahi, who commended President Tinubu’s commitment towards the completion of the road project, also praised the perseverance of the Bodo-Bonny Peace Committee and the cooperation of the Nigeria LNG (NLNG) that is funding the project.

    The Minister also expressed dismay over the attitude of RCC handling the 15km East-West Road (From Port Harcourt Eleme Junction to Onne Port Junction) for the undue delays experienced by the project despite receiving over N40b for the job.

    While also warning the contractor that further VOP would no longer be entertained, he said: “We are very sad with the manners and behaviours of this contractor, RCC.

    “The Federal Government has paid over N40 billion on this project, and not even one kilometer has been completed. And let me make it very clear that the cost we have given on the review of this project does not attract any VOP.

    “There is no VOP on the project as far as the rates are concerned now.”

    According to him, the sufferings of the road users were a source of concern which has resulted in finding means to source funds to maintain the road for the time being pending when the company remobilises to the site.

    “So we have to see where we can search for funds and get any contractor around here to maintain the road. We need to maintain the road.

    “We need to pity the people. It’s not acceptable what our people are passing through for an excuse from RCC that they are importing machines for the job,” he said.

    Other projects inspected by the Minister were the dualisation of East-West road section II (subsection II) (Ahoada-Kaiama in Rivers/Bayelsa States) being handled by Setraco Nigeria Ltd and the construction of multiple box culverts at flood-damaged locations along the dualization of East-West road (section II) Ahoada-Kaiama in Rivers/Bayelsa States being handled by Messrs. Rock Result Nigeria Ltd.

  • FG gives give or take condition to Julius Berger on Bodo-Bonny road

    FG gives give or take condition to Julius Berger on Bodo-Bonny road

    The Federal Government has set a deadline for Julius Berger Nigeria, the contractor in charge of the Bonny-Bodo Road project, to finish the project by the end of the year. 

    Minister of Works, David Umahi, also conveyed to the construction company that their requested variations on the 82% completed project are unacceptable. 

    The government is willing to provide N20b out of the N28b the contractor is requesting.

    According to the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Yakubu Kofarmata, when the N199.923b project was signed, it was scheduled for completion by December 2023 with a caveat that there would be no further variation. 

    The 39 km long road is the first road link between Bonny Island to the rest of Rivers State.
    Umahi stated that if the contractor does not accept the Federal government’s offer by Friday and resume work on the site, the previously expired 14-day ultimatum for their return will be enforced. 

    These clarifications were provided during a meeting in Abuja with the Managing Director of Julius Berger, Lars Ritcher and the Bodo-Bonny Road Peace Committee. 

    This meeting followed a letter requesting an extra N28b and outlining various additional conditions for the project’s completion.
    While cautioning that no contractor has the authority to dictate terms to the Federal government on a contract that has already been agreed upon by both parties, the Minister stressed that his stance was grounded in the legal requirement for both parties to review the contract terms before signing it.

    The Minister explicitly stated to the Berger delegation that they should either accept the government’s response to their demands on the project and proceed with it, or voluntarily terminate the project themselves.

    He assured the Boddo-Bonny Road Peace Committee that even if Julius Berger decides to abandon the project, it will not stall and the quality of the project will not diminish.
    He said with or without Julius Berger, the road would be completed by the end of this year.

    Before agreeing to pay N20b out of the N28b requested by Berger for project variations, Umahi had maintained that the Ministry would only allocate N13.8b, resulting in a N15b disparity.

    The Minister cautioned Julius Berger to learn to demonstrate humility in its dealings with the client (Federal government) but also show solidarity during economic difficulties, considering the substantial benefits it had received during the country’s prosperous economic times.

    He said: “The difference is not even the issue, the issue is Berger’s letter that is annoying, dictating to the nation, and nobody dictates to me, only Mr President that appointed me that can dictate to me.

    “If Berger doesn’t accept our conditions, they can walk away. If other contractors are not accepting our conditions, they can walk away, nobody dictates for this country.

    “I want all to know that this is a tax credit and it is an Executive Order”.

    The Minister noted that Berger got the issue wrong for failing to adhere to the project’s timetable.

    The Minister noted if Berger had adhered to the project timetable, it would have been completed on schedule, thereby avoiding the impact of foreign exchange challenges and the escalation of construction material prices.

    Regarding the contractor’s letter that the Ministry allegedly did not respond to, Umahi said irrespective of Nigeria LNG Ltd’s (NLNG) potential independent decision to fulfil the remaining conditions of Berger outside of the Tax Credit scheme, the Ministry will not rely on Tax Credit for this purpose.

    Breaking down Berger’s letter that the Ministry will make an additional variation in price (VOP) based on the contractor’s reasonable calculation and projection, the Minister affirmed, “We will not”.

    He also turned down Berger’s demand that the Ministry approve preliminary additional sand quantities. 

    On Berger’s rejection of the fixed exchange rate proposal but that the Ministry should find an alternative solution, Umahi said the contract he inherited was Naira-denominated and would not accept the contractor’s demand.

    “Our position is very simple, we reject the conditions of Julius Berger totally and we ask Berger to please go back to the site to complete the project based on our offer.

    “Our offer is unconditional and we say, accept or reject, so you cannot subject our offer to your conditions 

    “Berger should note that our 14-day termination ultimatum has gone and we will make a proposal, if you did not agree with this,” he warned.

    Read Also: N199b Bodo-Bonny road project: Umahi orders Julius Berger back to site

    After deciding to pay N20b, the Minister revealed that he would present a proposal to President Tinubu, outlining the conditions stipulated by Berger to the Ministry and the funding disparity.

    At that point, he said it is within the President’s authority to either waive the conditions or authorise the Minister to terminate the job.

    Addressing the Niger Delta traditional rulers’ concerns about the project’s completion, Umahi said being a seasoned engineer, assured them that terminating the contract would not compromise the quality or timeline of the project.

    Although he did not commit to providing the N8b difference, the NLNG representative guaranteed that the company would adhere to the government’s directives on the matter, pending Board approval.