BY FAVOUR NNABUGWU

MESSRS Eksiogulari Construction (Nig.) Ltd, the firm handling the construction of Kaduna Eastern By-Pass: has been given up to November 30 this year as an ultimatum to complete work on the 16- kilometre expressway between Kakau village and Kachia Road, Zaria.

The ultimatum is coming on the heels of the fact that nine years after the contractor commenced work on the road, no appreciable work has been done.

Ambassador Bashir Yuguda, Minister of State for Works who handed the contractor the ultimatum last week was visibly disappointed by the pace of work during his inspection of the road. Admitting that funding is critical to any project, the minister pointed out that the contractor should show some level of commitment to be able to access the fund.

According to the terms of the contract, the contractor is expected to construct the road through Kaduna from Kakau village to Zaria Road at N16 billion within three years, but nine years on with over N10 billion already expended on the road, the project has not gone half way.

Though Yuguda was not the first Minister to inspect the project, his predecessors including Senator Sanusi Daggash, former Minister of Works had also visited the site and was also not happy with the pace of work and doubted the capability of the contractor to finish the job in the nearest future. But Yuguda stamped his feet by giving the contractor two months to at least complete the first portion of the road which stretches to 16 kilometers.

According to him, “Kaduna Eastern Bye-Pass project was awarded on November 24, 2002 with completion date of November 23, 2005. There is budget constraint no doubt, but the capability of the contractor is very doubtful. We have given the contractor till November 30, 2011 to finish the first portion of Kakau to Kachia which is 16 kiklometers completely after which we will determine the next line of action.

“There is a bargain constraint. No doubt about it but the capacity of the contractor to deliver on this road is very doubtful. For the last ten years, they were only able to achieve negligible portion that I have seen up to 16 kilometres.

The budget issue is there no doubt but for serious-minded contractors, they go out of their ways to impress government that they have to be helped in terms of funding. We have critical projects and once we see a contractor really doing the work he is supposed to do, we go out of our way to fund it but this is not acceptable at all”

“So this first portion from Kakau to the Kachia road which is 16 kilometres is given to them up till November ending to finish the work completely after which we will then determine the next line of action but government cannot accept contractors that are folding their arms every day, saying it is government’s fault.

Budget mechanisms

If a contractor performs, there is always budget mechanism which has leverage that we can always make a case for a contractor. So, it is not just the question of the government not funding but is the question of the technical capability of the contractor.

“We have a case of contractors that are really working above their certificate but these contractors don’t have any certificate pending. So those are the issues. The quality of the work they have done so far is good but the financial capability is not there and that is what we are telling them they should seat up and let us see what they can do.

“We are hopeful that they will achieve it but if we get there and they are unable to achieve it then the options are open. We will sit down with the contractors. The contractor has only been able to finish a negligible portion of the road that l have seen up to 16 kilometers in about 10 years. Though the quality of work that they have done so far is okay but the financial capability is not there”

The Deputy Managing Director of Eksiogulari Constrcution (Nig) Ltd, Alhaji Jaafaru Baba explained to the Minister that the delay in meeting up with the deadline was largely due to lack of fund to execute the project. Baba further explained that in spite of the lean funding, his company was not deterred as its workers were still on site working.

Consequently, the contractor had overshot the first three-year completion date and it was extended by five years as the contract was reviewed on December 31, 2007 with completion date of July 31, 2012.