Contractors handling Apo-Karshi Road project have been asked to appear before the Senate Committee on the Federal Capital Territory, to answer queries to the delay in completing the project.
The summon is coming after the chairman of the committee, Senator Smart Adeyemi, expressed disappointment over the prolonged delay in executing the Karshi – Ara and extension of Karshi – Apo road, within the agreed period.
Adeyemi, who led other members and ministers of the FCT on oversight function to the project site, lambasted the contractor for stalling the project for over 10 years.
Recall that the Apo -Karshi road project was awarded to M/S Kakatar’ CE. Big Limited in 2011, with the completion period of 20 months.
The law makers said it was a shame for an indigenous construction company to betray the trust of FCT Administration and the national assembly, by awarding the contract to the firm.
A visibly angry Senator Adeyemi said the company had acknowledged the full funding of the project by the current FCT Administration, and there was no reason for the firm to make excuses instead of delivering the work as agreed.
He regretted that the Apo -Karshi road always appears on FCT budgets and was giving the Senate headache, which must be looked into.
He asked the contractor to appear before the Senate for explanation next week Thursday.
“If I submit the budget before the floor of the National Assembly my colleagues will take me up on it, they will be asking questions and I don’t want to be confused.
“You should be a shame of yourself and the company. The fund has been provided for the work so why excuses?
“I remember when this job started and I had cause to come here in either 2013 or 2014, you gave us the same promise. When an indigenous company betray the trust, you justify why local firms should not be patronage.
“If I am the minister I will revoke this job, and ask them to refund the government. If you can’t do the job why should you accept it? There is no reason again to continue with the company,” he stated.
The chief site engineer, Ezekiel Panam who spoke on behalf of the Managing Director, said the delay in the project was due to the increase in price of items.
According to him, the project was awarded in 2011 when the prices of materials were not high.
“No administration has funded this project as the current one has done, part of the delay was funding but since you came on board you settled it. This job was awarded in 2011, now prices of materials are not the same, so we are trying our best to deliver.”
Meanwhile, the FCT Minister of State, Dr. Ramatu Aliyu, said the Apo-Karshi road, when completed, will ease access to the city centre from Karshi and other satellite towns.
“So constructing that road and completing it will give us value for money, even for the affordable housing and other developments. We have identified where the problems are, which is particularly about funding which is due to economic downturn and the inflation rate, so we are reviewing our project rates vis-a-vis the current cost in the market to expedit action on the projects.
“We will look at the document again from the period the contract was of awarded to date. When our administration came in 2015, we have been able to pay all that is required of us, yet the company is unable to complete the job.
“It is not easy to say we will terminate a contract in overriding public interest, because some times litigation can deprive residents and take longer period to conclude”.