The Nation Newspaper

Tag: contractors

  • ACN warns against extortion of contractors

    The Action Congress of Nigeria, (A C N), has condemned the harassment and extortion of contractors working in various parts of Lagos by communities and area boys. This, the A C N said, was inimical to the growth and progress of the state.

    In a statement by its Publicity Secretary Joe Igbokwe, the party expressed worries over persistent complaints of increasing harassment and extortion of contractors handling roads,drainage,bridges by communities in collaboration with street urchins.

    “In recent times, we have been receiving worrying reports of unrestrained harassment by contractors working for the Lagos State government; that host communities where they are working are putting undue pressure and impediments on their works and this has got to a stage that government projects are stalled as a result of the inability of contractors to meet the indecent demands of the host communities,” Igbokwe said.

    He added: “An agency of the Lagos State government in charge of optic fibre technology has reported consistent running battles with communities, area boys, Community DevelopmentAssociations (CDAs), resident associations, estates and even prominent Lagos residents that impede on its works in their areas, which involve laying of facilities for improved network, until certain fees are negotiated and paid.

    ” We have a letter from the Magodo Residents’ Association to the Telecoms Infrastructure Development Limited, a contractor handling the laying of fiber optic cables for MTN Nigeria. The Magodo Residents’ Association is demanding N500,000 for work permit to lay fibre optic cables in the state.”

    “Lagos ACN warns those engaged in this act to desist henceforth as the government is taking due cognizance of this and will come down hard on any group or community sabotaging the realization of the lofty dreams of the Lagos State government for Lagosians,”the party warns.

  • We’ll sanction erring contractors, says Wike

    We’ll sanction erring contractors, says Wike

    Minister of State for Education Nyesom Wike has said the Federal Government will sanction any contractor who fails to deliver the girl-child model schools.

    He urged consultants handling the projects across the country to submit status reports.

    Wike spoke at Oginibo, Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State while inspecting the Special Girl-Child Model College on Monday.

    He said the reports of the consultants would form part of the process for the handing over of the schools.

    Wike said the consultants should specify fully completed projects and also spell out projects that require direct intervention from the Federal Government to facilitate hand-over to states.

    He said: “These reports would assist us in meting out sanctions to contractors who have failed to meet scheduled time-lines for project execution.

    “We shall also sanction contractors proven to have failed to execute their contracts in line with approved specifications”.

    On the quality of work at the Oginibo Special Girl-Child school, Wike regretted that though the projects was nearing completion, it had structural defects that must be addressed.

    Speaking at the sites of library projects at the Federal Government Girls College, Ibusa and Federal Government College, Warri, the minister urged the contractors to expedite action on their work to ensure they hand over the projects to government by the end of March.

    Delta State Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board, Mrs Pat Ejetoh, assured the minister that the board would participate in monitoring contractors handling the projects.

    The minister also visited the library project at the Federal Government Girls College, Benin, Edo State.

     

  • Osun contractors get N5.5b for roads

    Osun contractors get N5.5b for roads

    •Aregbesola says good roads’ll boost economy’

    Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola yesterday said ongoing road projects across the state were aimed at improving the economy.

    Aregbesola spoke at the State Secretariat, Osogbo, while presenting chegues worth N5.5 billion to major contractors handling the 218km roads being built in all councils.

    He said a similar amount would be released to the contractors when the projects are 40 per cent completed.

    The governor said Osun would soon boast of one of the best road network in the country.

    He said the condition of a country’s roads is a major indicator of its level of development, adding that bad road network causes accidents and have negative health implications.

    Aegbesola said: “Good roads, on the other hand, will enhance economic activities, bring down the cost of goods and services and reduce wear and tear on vehicles.

    “Our assault on bad roads is massive. At the state level, work is ongoing on different road projects, which are at varying stages of completion. This is a demonstration of our resolve. The 218km roads are spread across all the local governments and one Area Office at the cost of N16 billion.”

    Since 2010, the state government had been saving the Excess Crude Oil (ECO) funds of local governments towards the building of 10km roads in each council. Six million Naira was drawn from the ECO fund savings for the project.

    The state government helped the local governments to source N10 billion loan from banks to meet up the project cost.

    The projects were kicked off on December 31, 2012.

    Roads under construction include eight roads inherited from the past administration, totalling 144.29km; the dualisation of the 43.37km Osogbo-Kwara boundary road and the dualisation of the Gbongan-Orileowu-Ijebu Igbo road.

    Others are 15 Ilesa township roads; 14 Ede township roads; 20 inter-city roads totalling 319 km; 13 intra-city roads totalling 79.46km and select roads in six zones totalling 74.1km.

    The governor said the roads are high quality roads with 50mm asphalt on stone base with concrete drainage where necessary.

    He denied the allegation by the opposition that his government was arbitrary in awarding the contracts.

    Aregbesola said contractors handling the projects were selected on merit from those who passed the pre-qualification test and had handled projects for the government satisfactorily.

    He said: “They are still projects of the local governments. Our intervention is only in quality control and financial engineering. The works are still under the superintendence of the councils’ Directors of Works.”

    The governor urged the contractors to abide by best practice, warning that the government would revoke the contract of anyone found wanting.

    He said his administration would continue to act in the interest of the people.

    Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs Kolapo Alimi urged stakeholders to monitor the contractors.

    Mr. Ibrahim Shittu of Kofas Engineering Construction, who represented the contractors, sought the support of the host communities and pledged that the projects would be promptly completed.

     

  • MDGs’ contractors to Fed Govt: Pay us

    SOME contractors handling some Millennium Goals Development (MDGs) projects for the Federal Government, particularly, the Federal Ministry of Housing, have appealed  to the Minister of Land, Housing and Urban Development, Ms Ama Pepple, to assist in the payment for contracts executed for the ministry since 2011.

    Their spokesperson Mr James Olutola, told reporters in Lagos,that though his colleagues had completed their projects since last year and early this year, they had not been paid.

    According to him, while few people had been paid, the hope of payment for the majority is hanging in the balance, for what he described as empty promises.

    “We are appealing to the Presidency, especially, the Minister, Ms Ama Pepple, whom we all considered as a mother, a sister, to please, effect our payment, since many of us are indebted to the banks”. The contractors also alleged that the minister said that  she would only pay for the contracts awarded by her and not those by her predecessor.

    Olutola, who along Mohammed Tijani, said they executed school projects, which were certified okay, said: “But till date, we are yet to receive our payment, as we are still lamenting the unfortunate death of one of the co-contractor, who died recently as a result of pressure from his creditor”, he said.

    But the ministry’s Director Press, Mr Peter Ogbonnaya, refuted the contractors’ claims. He insisted that all executed projects were paid for.

    However, he said efforts were being made to pay contractors who handled the MDGs projects for the ministry in 2010, assuring that all the projects executed would be paid for.

    “There is no way you can execute a project for the Federal Government and the minister will tell you that you won’t be paid because the project was not awarded by him or her. The Minister wasn’t there in 2010, but she is making efforts to ensure that the projects executed in 2010 which have not been paid for, are paid for,” he said.

     

  • ‘Use local contractors to save funds’

    General Secretary, National Union of Civil Engineering, Construction, Furniture and Wood Workers (NUCECFWW), Mr Babatunde Liadi, has advised the Federal Government to use local contractors.

    Liadi, who gave the advice during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, added that using local contractors would assist in creating more jobs and saving it foreign exchange.

    “If the Federal Government can use more of our local engineering firms in the ongoing rehabilitation of roads, it will assist the economy and save money on foreign reserve.

    “Before now our roads were death traps, killing and maiming many Nigerians. The bad roads also give room to hoodlums and armed robbers to operate, “ Liadi said.

    He commended the Federal Government’s decision to revoke the concession agreement for the expansion, repair and maintenance of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway granted to Bi-Courtney Highway Services.

    He said though the road had been re-awarded to Julius Berger Nigeria Plc and RCC, the new contractors should hasten the re-construction and do a good job.

    “Good roads are part of the dividends of democracy. If we have good roads, the number of accidents will be reduced and more lives will be saved, “ he said.

    Liadi advised state governments to embark on repairs and maintenance of roads and other infrastructure in their areas.

    He urged governments, especially states and local governments to release funds for contracts that have been certified completed.

    He said payment of completed contracts would protect workers, reduce unemployment and the number of companies being shut as a result of inability to pay salaries.

    Liadi said from January next year, the union would protest the use of casual labour and other anti-labour practices by employers.

  • Wike to banks: pay contractors

    Minister of State for Education Nyesom Wike has called on banks working with the Federal Government on the execution of projects in the basic education sector to pay contractors promptly.

    The minister hailed the management of the Universal Basic Education Commission, (UBEC) on the improvement in the execution of almajiri schools, Special Girl-Child Schools and library projects in the country.

    Wike spoke in Abuja at a meeting with banks, contractors and UBEC management.

    He regretted that the execution of several basic education projects have been stalled due to delayed payments by banks.

    Wike urged the banks to stop delaying payment to contractors to enable the contractors meet up with the expectations of the Federal Government.

    He said: “For one week, work cannot be done by several contractors due to the non-payment by the banks.

    “ I have decided to follow this issue closely because we must deliver on schedule.

    “These are government funds. They are not funds borrowed from the banks and must be released accordingly without impediment.”

  • Minister warns contractors, consultants on flood projects

    The Minister of Environment, Mrs. Hadiza Mailafia, has warned contractors handling soil erosion and flood control projects to speed up completion of the projects.

    She said the warning was given to ensure prompt inauguration, stressing that no payment would be made to any contractor without visible and verifiable reports of performance.

    Mrs. Mailafia spoke yesterday in Abuja while addressing contractors, consultants and officials responsible for the execution of the 15 projects in the Southeast.

    She noted that excuses would not be accepted for job delay, adding that contractors said they had a thorough knowledge of the project terrains and inherent challenges before they were awarded the contracts.

    The minister said: “I cannot sit here, approve the payment of over N1 billion in the last one year and not see the inauguration of the projects. I’ve not taken, received or asked for a kobo from anyone of you. I have never asked anyone to see me before I acted on files, nor have I asked anyone to see me after granting approvals for any of these projects, which were awarded before I assumed duties here. I will not be stampeded by any means by anybody into payments that I am not convinced any person is entitled to.

  • FCDA warns contractors

    The Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) has warned contractors handling its projects against delay in completing their assignments.

    The Executive Secretary of the Authority, Mr. Adamu Ismaila who spoke with reporters in Abuja, said contractors had better sit and complete their jobs on time.

    His words: “The major issue is funding and once funding is steady, the projects will definitely be completed within stipulated time”.

    Adamu warned lazy contractors to resume work, saying that engineers of the FCDA have been mobilised to commence monitoring and supervision of the projects in line with the promise of the FCT minister.

    ”It is not a heavy task on me; we have the experts that will ensure first-class technical supervision,” he said.

    On the bad portions of some roads within the capital city, the executive secretary said plans have reached advance stages to rehabilitate the entire roads in Phase One of Garki and Wuse Districts, clarifying that work on the roads would commence before the end of the year.

    ”It is our intention to rehabilitate the entire roads in Garki and Wuse but it’s not going to be done at once but in phases and we are starting this year,” he said.

    He assured residents of Gwarimpa and some parts of Maitama and Asokoro of regular water supply by the end of the year, following the matching orders given to the contractors to complete the water project by December.

     

  • Kano warns contractors against shoddy jobs

    Governor Kwankwaso

    kano State Commissioner for Land and Physical Planning, Surveyor Muhammadu Nadu Yahaya has warned that the state government may sanction any contractor involved in the execution of shoddy jobs.

    Yahaya, who gave the warning in Kano during his one-day inspection and monitoring tour of road projects in the state, said the expansion and dualisation of road networks in the state have recorded 45 per cent progress, particularly the N3 billion Gwarzo/ Kofar Kabuga/BUK new site road, over which he expressed satisfaction.

    Yahaya was greeted with complaints from the contractors at different points, ranging from the torrential rain to non-removal of electric poles, underground doctile pipes and heavy traffic, which has taken its toll on the pace of work.
    He, however, promised to redouble his efforts to ensure speedy completion of the project when the rains subside.

    The contractor handling the expansion and dualisation of Sheik Jafar Mahmud Adam Road (fomerly Chalawa road) told the inspection team that his greatest challenge remains the underground doctile pipe on both sides of the road which hinders the progress of work.

    Apart from the heavy traffic on the road, the contractor also told the commissioner that the road design was altered several times, resulting in the slow pace of work on the project.

    He, however, promised to work harder particularly now that he has received a final redesign of the project.
    At the Hadejia road( Murtala Mohammed Way/Ahmadu Bello Way roundabout), the commissioner expressed satisfaction with the quality and pace of work but urged the contractor to redouble his efforts to ensure that he meets the completion deadline.

    The team, however, expressed dismay at the slow pace of work on Zaria Road and urged them brace up with the challenges, so as to complete the project on schedule.
    The tour also took the Commissioner to the Southern Terminus project site at Gundutse, at the end of which he expressed satisfaction with the pace of work .

    However at the Upgrading/Dualization of Independence Road project, which is been handled by SDY Engineering, the Commissioner frowned at the disruption of traffic and charged the Contractor to open up some part of the road to ensure flow of traffic, instead of complete blockage of the road.

    At the end of the inspection tour, Nadu urged the Contractor to redouble his efforts, so as to complete the project on schedule and reduce the untold hardship motorists plying the route are currently experiencing.