By Francesca Hangeior
The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has dismissed reports claiming that his ministry awarded a section of the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano road dualisation project to an inactive company called Infoquest Nigeria Ltd.
Speaking at a press conference held on Tuesday in Abuja, which was also attended by the Minister of State for Works, Mohammed Bello Goronyo, Umahi labelled the report as mischievous, insensitively misleading, and injurious.
A report had emerged on Tuesday that Umahi said a portion of the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano road project was awarded to Infoquest Nigeria Ltd, as the company received a “No Objection” certificate for the amount of N252.89 billion from the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) for the rehabilitation of the section.
The however minister clarified that the Ministry of Works has no business relationship with “Infoquest Nigeria Ltd.”
He explained that the company with a contractual relationship regarding the project is “Infiouest International Limited,” which is corporately active and fully compliant with all legal requirements and regulations under the Companies and Allied Matters Act.
Umahi criticised the “mischief” created by the publication, describing it as a deliberate effort by a cartel to malign the ministry, undermine the Renewed Hope administration’s efforts to revolutionise road infrastructure and discredit a company with proven capacity in road construction.
He demanded that Daily Trust newspapers issue a public apology to the Federal Ministry of Works, to be published in at least five national dailies, for unjustifiably publishing false information against the ministry.
Umahi also addressed recent publications by Julius Berger Plc, alleging misrepresentation of facts concerning their former contractual obligations on the Abuja-Kaduna road project.
He wondered why “the coordinated onslaught of falsehood, blackmail, gang up by adversaries to the policy of government just because of the Ministry’s insistence on a new order of value for money, quality assurance and best practices in project pricing and execution”.
“These actions by contractors and their allies aim to undermine the government’s efforts to bring accountability and quality to infrastructure projects,” he added.
Umahi also urged the public to join in his desirable fight against national sabotage by some contractors.