By Mashe Umaru Gwamna
Minister of Works Engr. David Umahi has inaugurated Contract Management Team (CMT) for the Value-Added Concession (VAC) Category of the Highways Development & Management Initiative (HDMI).
The Minister stated this yesterday in Abuja while inaugurating Contract Management Team (CMT) of the Value-Added Concession (VAC) category under the Highways Development & Management Initiative (HDMI), saying that “I understand that it has been three (3) years of hard work by the Project Delivery Team (PDT) members of the Highways Development & Management Initiative (HDMI), most of whom are now being transmuted as members of the Contract Management Team (CMT). We expect that the same hard work you brought to bear on the Contract Preparatory Stages would be doubled at this critical stage of Contract Implementation.”
Umahi who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of Works Ministry Mahmuda Mammam said the HDMI was created by the Ministry to manage and develop the federal road networks, with the aim of attracting sustainable investment and funding in the development of road infrastructure and maximization of the use of assets along the right of way (RoW).
He said the initiative is expected to amongst others, bring order, accountability, and profitable entrepreneurship to the operations, management, and maintenance of Federal Highways.
He said this are following twelve (12) roads were initially planned for concession under the first phase of the Initiative, namely: Benin – Asaba; Abuja– Lokoja; Kano – Katsina; Onitsha – Owerri – Aba; Shagamu –Benin; Abuja -Keffi –Akwanga; Kano – Maiduguri.
Others are Lokoja – Benin; Enugu-Port Harcourt; Ilorin-Jebba; Lagos-Abeokuta; and Lagos-Badagry.
He however, stated that only Nine (9) of the roads attained Commercial Close.
He said “It is thus evident that the HDMI has attained very important milestones, with the most recent being the aforesaid Commercial Close executed on Friday, 26th May 2023. “Today’s event is therefore another significant milestone aimed at ensuring compliance with the provisions of the executed contract. As we are all aware, the Concessionaires were required to incorporate Special Purpose Vehicles (SPV) for the execution of the contract, accordingly”.
Umahi, similarly said “the idea of including Senior Executive Management representation from each Concessionaire on the CMT is to ensure seamless workings and interactions. I, therefore, I wish to advise the Concessionaires to accord the CMT, which they are already a part of, the maximum cooperation that is needed.
“As we are aware, the Value for Money (VFM) generated through PPPs depends on the quality of the private partner and the government’s contract management systems and teams”.
Similarly, Director Transport Infrastructure of Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC ) Mohammed Aliyu Bamali who spoke on behalf of Director General , ICRC Joe Ohiani explained “ FG and the Commission considered it expedient for Ministry of Works to set up CMT to serve as the main oversight on the implementation of HDMI projects”
He said “CMT is to carry out the following jobs such as efficient management of contract , that parties strictly keep to the terms and conditions of contract in fulfillment of the financial obligation, project specification and provisions of relevant documents eg performance bond , insurance and tax among others.
Meanwhile, The Head of Public Private Partnership (PPP) , Mrs Abimbola Asein Federal Ministry of Works rolled out the names of the membership of the HDMI Contract Management Team which include some departments in Works Ministry and Federal Ministry of Justice , Federal Ministry of Environment , Federal Road Maintenance Agency.
Others are Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission
Bureau of Public Enterprise and Debt Management Office and Ministry of Finance.
