By Mashe Umaru Gwamna
The Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, has introduced parameters that will strengthen the quality delivery and management of road infrastructure under the Public Private Partnership model of road infrastructure development known as Highway Development and Management Initiative (HDMI) and ensure efficient utilization of the completed projects by road users.
Umahi gave this indication during a meeting with the Public Private Partnership unit of the Federal Ministry of Works and Messrs. Africa Plus Partners Nigeria Ltd (APPNL) concessionaires for the Benin-Asaba and Lagos-Abeokuta road corridors in his office on 12th February 2024.
This was contained in a statement signed and issued by Hon. Barr. Orji Uchenna Orji Special Adviser (Media) to the Honourable Minister of Works
The meeting was aimed at achieving a more effective operational model for the HDMI programme and more efficient contractual relations between the Federal Government and Concessionaires.
The meeting which dwelt on the review of the project parameters for the Benin-Asaba and Lagos-Abeokuta road corridors as negotiated in 2022 by Messrs. Africa Plus Partners Nigeria Ltd (APPNL) was necessitated by the heightened inflationary pressures, exchange rate concerns, reduced vehicular traffic on the highways occasioned by the increase in fuel pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).
The minister listed conditions before Benin-Asaba and Lagos-Abeokuta road corridors would be tolled, explained that 100 per cent of one carriage way must be completed.
He listed other conditions such as design of the project should be in line with the specification of the Federal Ministry of Works and investor can only improve upon the design made by the ministry. Also, a reasonable construction period must be agreed upon and there shall be no variation on the project.
According to him the business plan must be in line with the socio-economic dynamics. Terms of tolling of road projects must be in accordance with the laws of the federation, and standard contract conditions must be followed.
“Contingency and Variation on Price (VOP) shall be utilised only by the express and written permission of the client. Bill of Quantities shall be verified and adopted in line with the prevailing market prices and road count on traffic shall be carried out by the investor and where such data has been provided by the client, it is the duty of the investor to accept or verify and where the investor accepts, it shall be binding on all.
Others are, it shall be the duty of the investor to sensitise the public on the toll programme in every project; the client shall have the right to terminate the job of the investor for failure to comply with the time of road project completion, and every road construction for highways must be in accordance with the highway standard prescribed by the laws of the federation”.
Responding, the team leader of the APPNL and the head of the PPP unit of the Federal Ministry pf Works assured the Honourable Minister of their commitment to the innovative initiatives of the Federal Ministry of Works on road infrastructure and thanked the Hon. Minister for pointing out that there was a dire need to review not only the cost of the concessioned project, but also the scope of the project to meet with the standard of road construction in accordance with the innovations introduced by the Ministry under the Renewed Hope administration of *President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GGFR*. They expressed their commitment towards a robust negotiation on the project review that would lead to a financial close so that work could commence without further delay.
They promised to carry out further technical analysis on all the issues raised in the meeting and re-present same to the Honourable Minister for consideration.
