The Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, has given contractors with abandoned projects two weeks to return to site or face sanctions.
The Minister made this known on Wednesday when he rolled out the Federal Government’s fresh guidelines for the award of contracts under his ministry.
Under the guidelines, contractors handling four ongoing projects are ineligible to bid for new ones until they deliver on the projects they are handling.
The Minister announced this at a meeting with contractors handling federal roads across the six geo-political zones in the country, in Abuja, on Wednesday.
Umahi said, “Henceforth, any company that has four projects with the ministry of works will not get another project until he finishes the one awarded.
“Mr President just approved 60 projects and we will start the designing and the profiling, so, if you can finish your jobs quickly, you will be part of the bidding but if you can’t finish your job, you can’t bid and we won’t differentiate between expatriate and local contractors.
“The house must submit to the new policy of the Federal Ministry of Works.”
He cautioned all contractors especially those with roots outside Nigeria to desist from sabotaging the implementation of concrete technology threatening not to hesitate to sanction those caught in such unwholesome practices.
The Minister also gave contractors who have been awarded contracts to mobilise to site within 14 days or risk losing such contracts to local competitors.
According to him, the Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration has zero tolerance for contractors cheating tax payers.
He said, “You contractors cheat us on the thickness of asphalt. The bitumen imported are of bad quality and then you start putting enhancer and modifier. We don’t want that again, there is no such thing over seas. Use the type of asphalt used abroad.
“I believe I have called enough meetings on this issue and we must move forward. Let me advise contractors that are meeting and have ganged up.
“We have learnt that some of you want to sabotage me to prove that concrete is not good. That is a lie, concrete is very good.
“Go to Lagos sea port and see what the contractor is doing. Go to my state to see what I did. The roads are still there and very good on concrete. It is very unuseful to you because there is no meeting that will make you back down on the principles and policy of the Ministry of Works.
“This policy has been set in motion and will only stop if I am removed from office by Mr President.
“So, please, stop harassing me with the price quotation. We have set our prices. Even this morning, the directors met and increased the price and I accepted it. The price is only for Trunk A. Trunk B and C will not enjoy that price because it is going to be on a different design.”
Speaking further, Umahi said, “Also, let me announce that we are going to deploy strict measures. Every contractor going back to the site must give us a programme of work.
“The ministry won’t process your certificate without a programme of work. Contractors that want variation of price must prove what basis led to an increase in contract quantity. Without these steps, there is no payment.
“Condition number two for the use of asphalt is the 5 percent variation on price and if you have exhausted your 5 percent already.
“You cannot enjoy another 5 percent Inflation on asphalt, work is on geometric progression. Price is increasing every day and there is no money to pay for these increases.
“Mr President did a concrete road in Lagos and he reminded me about this yesterday. I believe Nigerians will support us on the fact that when you do this asphalt, there should be a guarantee on it.
“We have discussed the construction equipment we have also directed that at least every 30 kilometres, there should be minimum of equipment of eight dossiers, two graders, four excavators, 20 trailers and other construction equipment in line with active site works operations. Nigerians should have one road that is very good.”
