Wike frowns at slow pace of work on 15km road Pai-Gomani project

By Stanley Onyekwere

FCT Minister, Barrister Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, has expressed dissatisfaction over the slow pace of work on the 15-kilometer Pai-Gomani road project, which connects remote communities in Kwali Area Council to the Abuja/Lokoja Expressway.
Wike, who noted that the said road project was awarded before the A2 to Pai section of the road of the same length, which has since been completed and commissioned, decried the delay and non-performance by the contractor.
Briefing journalists shortly after a routine inspection of ongoing infrastructure projects in the Abuja city centre and the Area Councils at the weekend, he also expressed serious frustration over the issue of unauthorized cost variation on the project, lamenting that the purported variation amount was nearly equivalent to the original project cost, which exceeded his ministerial approval limit.
According to him, “Frankly speaking, I’m not too impressed. That road was awarded before the A2 to Pai, and we have commissioned that. It appears there isn’t much communication between the STDD and the contractor.
“There appears to be issues of variation, and I am not too comfortable with that, and when we go back, we will look at that, and those who did not do what they are supposed to do will have to be sanctioned because people believe that you can go ahead without certain approvals. I don’t have the power to give that kind of approval when it comes to that kind of amount of money”.
The Minister however, warned that any official within the STDD found culpable for carrying out work or recommending variations without following the required approval process will be sanctioned.
He said, “The STDD did not seek approval because the amount I was told is almost the same amount that the original cost was awarded and you know I don’t have such power.
“That contract was awarded by the Federal Executive Council, so it is beyond my power, and for you to get that, you have to write to the President to get approval for variation, and then you go back to Department of Public Procurement to approve the cost, and then you go back to the Federal Executive Council for the final approval. That’s why I said those who carried it out without seeking for approval, will have to be sanctioned”.
He however, revealed that despite the setback on the Pai-Gomani road, the award of a new contract for 13 kilometres Gomani to Yangoji road to be carried out by Zeberced Construction Company which also executed the A2-Pai road project.
He expressed confidence in the capacity of the contractor to deliver a good job in time for the third anniversary celebration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Furthermore, the Minister also reiterated the commitment of the FCT Administration to the provision of rural infrastructure in accordance with the Renewed Hope Agenda, citing the unprecedented developmental projects across the FCT Area Councils, including the newly re-awarded Apo-Karshi road and the Kubwa to Bwari road projects, among others, as examples.
“This is the first time that satellite towns have been given priority. As I speak to you, you know we have cancelled the abandoned Apo-Karshi road project, which has now been given to Salini Construction Company (SCC), and as you go there now, work has started seriously. We have also started the one of Kubwa to Bwari, being handled by the same SCC.
“We also have the road to Kubwa where the quarries are. I am very happy with the kind of development that this administration has brought to the satellite towns.
“So, people should appreciate the job this administration is doing, and I am happy that I am part of it, and I have seen the kind of development that has been taking place, not only in the city, but also in the satellite towns”, he stated
While providing update on the Central Business District (CBD) Bus terminal, which he inspected, Wike noted its high quality and uniqueness in comparison to the recently commissioned Kugbo and Mabushi terminals and commended the contractor for a good job.
He said, “As regards the bus terminal in Central Area, I am quite impressed with the quality of the job. If you check it, it is quite different from the one commissioned in Kugbo and Mabushi.
“The contractor is bent on finishing it by the end of the year. I believe by then the vehicles which were procured for the take-off of those terminals would have also arrived”.
According to him, FCT the Administration plans to partner with private individuals to contribute buses and taxis, all painted in the Abuja colour, but the government will kickstart the operations of the terminals with its own fleet of vehicles, stressing that the initiative will help to eliminate the “one chance” syndrome by ensuring vehicles are identifiable.
“Eventually, the government will have to partner with the private individuals, but for now government has to put in their own contribution so we can start off the operation of the bus terminals with vehicles that will be painted in the Abuja colour.
“That again will help as we try to eliminate the one chance syndrome. You know you are entering a vehicle and you can identify it. So private people are also going to be part of it, but this is our own contribution before that starts”, he stated.