Benin-Lagos road to be completed December – Minister
By SIMON EBEGBULEM
BENIN—FOLLOWING the incessant kidnapping of officials of the Reynolds Construction Company, RCC, handling the Benin-Lagos Express Road, the Federal Government has deployed soldiers with a view to protecting the officials.
Meanwhile, the management of the RCC is asking the Federal Government to pay the company the sum of N5.6billion, being part of the money owed the company for some of the jobs already, executed.
It will recalled that two staff of the company, IIan Digauher and Shayhe Heebe, were abducted October, 2010, by suspected kidnappers, as a result of which the management of the company suspended operations on the dilapidated road.
However, Vanguard, observed the presence of over 30 soldiers guiding the expatriate staff of the company, when the Minister of State for Works, Dr Chris Ogienmwonyi, went on an on-the-spot assessment of ongoing work on the road.
Dr Ogienmwonyi, who commended the Ministry of Defence for releasing the soldiers for work to continue on the road, expressed the concern of President Goodluck Jonathan in ensuring that the road was completed. He assured that from the information available to the Ministry, the job will be completed by December this year.
While urging the officials of the company to take one team to Benin so as to commence work on the dilapidated part of the road from the Benin axis, he said, “we are so glad that the issue that caused RCC to move out of site has now been fully addressed and as you can see around us here now, the extra security that had been provided. We must thank the Defense Minister and at the same time, Mr. President for allowing all of us to work together.”
We now have enough security and they (RCC) have assured me that they have enough security.
“From what we have now, I feel happy with the scope of work and I understand they are now even working on weekends. All we ask is let there be peace in this area and then by December, we are sure they will deliver” he stated.
Commenting on the refund of N5.6billion being requested by the Company to enable them accelerate the job, Dr Ogienmwonyi asserted that “It is obvious we need some funding and that is the essence of my trip. We will look at it and write the report. Mr. President is very concerned about the welfare of the people that is why today on a Sunday I am doing this road inspection. You can see that the state of the road between Ore_Ofosu and Kilometre 76 to 96 is in a bad state.
“We will make sure that before the rains starts, we will get the contractor back to work, get enough funds and to give the Nigeria people a smooth ride between Ore and Ofosu, that is the guarantee of the Ministry of Works and we will get it done expeditiously” he stated.
