By Gloria Ikibah
The Federal Government has said that it will save over N640 billion by switching from asphalt to concrete for the construction of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano road.
Minister of Works, Engr. Dave Umahi, revealed this during a session with the Adhoc Committee monitoring the Anuja-Kano road project, chaired by Hon. Aminu Jaji.
Umahi disclosed that the contract, initially awarded to Julius Berger Nigeria was terminated due to alleged unethical practices and failure to meet project terms.
“By my engagement and approach, I saved the nation N640 billion from Julius Berger. If we had accepted their demand of N1.5 trillion, we would have incurred unnecessary costs. Now, we are saving the country over N640 billion while improving the road’s architecture,” Umahi said.
The letter of termination, issued on November 21 by the Ministry of Works’ Director of Legal Services, C.O Assam, cited Julius Berger’s alleged uncooperative behavior, repeated delays, and refusal to complete the project within the agreed 14 months.
The Minister insisted that the decision was within the Ministry’s rights and followed due process.
“The problem with Julius Berger is not just about cost. They refused conditions for timely completion and set booby traps for us. Despite 14 months of negotiations, we could not reach an agreement,” he added.
Umahi also stressed that the decision to use concrete, his preferred method, would ensure durability, lower costs, and faster completion.
“We are also incorporating additional features like solar lights and CCTV into the road project,” he noted.
The Adhoc Committee questioned whether terminating the contract and re-awarding it for concrete construction would be cost-effective.
A committee members, Rep. Idris Wase, demanded detailed documents on the project, including the contract agreement, payment records, and work progress.
“If certificates were raised, what was their value, and what percentage of work was completed? These are details we need to guide our decisions,” Wase said.
The Committee Chairman, Rep. Aminu Jaji also noted discrepancies in cost figures presented by the Ministry and Julius Berger, emphasizing the Committee’s commitment to ensuring transparency and accountability.
In an earlier meeting, Julius Berger blamed delays on funding challenges, government policy shifts, and insecurity.
The company’s representative, Mr. Benjamin Bott, stated that insecurity, including a bomb blast in Kaduna, kept workers off-site for 11 months.
Bott also revealed that work stalled when the government proposed switching to concrete after initial plans for asphalt. Julius Berger claimed the Federal Government owed them substantial sums, further hampering progress.
But the Ministry of Works maintains that re-awarding the contract for concrete construction will be more cost-effective and beneficial for the nation.
Julius Berger has been directed to submit all documents related to the contract for further review.
Chairman Jaji reassured stakeholders, and said “Our mandate is to ensure the project is completed in the best interest of the country.”