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Tag: Contractors

  • List of more defaulting high profile contractors coming soon – NDDC

    List of more defaulting high profile contractors coming soon – NDDC

    The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has said it would soon release another list of defaulting high profile contractors.

    It said the list in circulation was just that of 2018, saying that the list of 2019 had not been released yet and that when it is released, people would be shocked.

    Acting Executive Director, Projects, NDDC, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh Ojougboh stated that change had come to the NDDC and that “things will never remain the same again.”

    According to him, “President Muhammadu Buhari worked for the change in NDDC “and even when we leave here, other people coming in would be more careful.

    “As for the list of contractors we published, that was for 2018 alone. By the time we publish that of 2019, a lot of things will come out to the open.

    “Some persons claim they did not benefit from NDDC but we have documents linking them to those contracts. The forensic audit is unearthing a lot of things, 2016, 2017 and 2019 list are ready. But we have decided we would not be distracted again.”

    He also said the Interim Management Committee, IMC, had saved N35 billion for the Commission after its verified payments to contractors.

    Speaking to newsmen shortly after the inauguration of the Committee for the completion and commissioning of NDDC’s 13-floor new permanent headquarters at the Eastern By-Pass, Port Harcourt, Ojougboh said that the Commission had also verified payments for N1.5 trillion for other projects.

    Ojougbo, who is the Chairman of the committee, affirmed that work on the office complex was at 98 per cent completion.

    He said: “As you can see, the lifts and escalators are working, the lights and the central air conditioners are functioning. You have seen the external works, so I want to tell you that what is left is the ancillary building, the windows are already in place. You have also seen the asphalts, so we are good to go.

    “Nobody believed that it was possible to achieve what we have achieved. There were lots of booby-traps which made it impossible for this building to be ready before now. But we thank God for the successes we have recorded.”

    He lamented that the NDDC budget for 2019 was distorted to the detriment of regional projects, citing the example of regional hospital projects that were starved of funds.

    “We made provision for hospitals in all Niger Delta states as our regional projects but it was removed and replaced with supply of chairs to schools in the region,” he said.

    Ojougboh said that the NDDC had written letters to the National Assembly to explain why N11.6 billion budgeted for the completion of hospitals was removed and replaced with supply of chairs and desks.

    He asked: “Is that what we deserve in Niger Delta?”

  • We recovered over N3.7bn from Ex-NDDC directors, contractors – Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday said that law enforcement agencies have recovered over N3.7billion as well as various assets worth billions of Naira from contractors and former directors of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

    The President stated this in Abuja at the inauguration of the NDDC Advisory Committee, comprising of nine governors of the Niger Delta Region and the Ministers of Niger Delta Affairs and Environment.

    He said, ‘‘Till date, the EFCC and other agencies of Government have recovered over N3.7billion in cash as well as various assets worth billions of Naira from some contractors and former Directors of the Commission.

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    ‘‘Furthermore, I am told that Government agencies have placed liens on over N6 billion of assets which are being investigated.’’

    The President in a press statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, told the committee that these abuses of the past clearly show the need for strict and diligent oversight, going forward.

    He charged them to discharge their new assignment diligently and effectively, working closely with the relevant ministries, adding that he looked forward to seeing positive changes in the affairs of the Commission as well as on the ground in the Niger Delta region.

    President Buhari recalled that in 2016, his administration launched the “New Vision for the Niger Delta (NEVIND)”, aimed at bringing sustainable peace, security, infrastructure and human capital development to the region.

    He said the medium to achieve this noble objective was through the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, NDDC and the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP).

    The President, however, expressed regret that in the past these institutions were unable to deliver their mandates due to mismanagement.

    ‘‘As a result, the people of the Niger Delta were left with abandoned infrastructural projects and substandard social programmes which were designed to improve their living conditions.

    ‘‘It is to reverse this trend that I approved, in February 2020, the constitution of a 10-Man Presidential Monitoring Committee (PMC) as provided for in Section 21 of the NDDC Establishment Act.’’

    He noted that the PMC, which will be chaired by the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs and its members drawn from various MDAs, will focus on monitoring the operations and activities of the commission, and will be reporting to him.

    President Buhari also noted that the inauguration of the NDDC Advisory Committee is in line with the provisions of Section 11 (I) of the NDDC Establishment Act, explaining that the Committee is charged with the responsibility of advising the Board and monitoring its activities.

    Justifying the decision to inaugurate the Committee ahead of the reconstitution of the NDDC Board, President Buhari said:

    ‘‘This is to enable us to develop insights into the affairs of the Commission which will properly guide the Board when reconstituted once the Forensic Audit exercise on the Commission is concluded.

    ‘‘You may recall that the Federal Executive Council, on the 5th of February, 2020 approved the appointment of the Lead Forensic Auditors. I am told they are concluding their pre-engagement activities and should be ready to commence work soon’’.

    Speaking on behalf of the members of the Advisory Committee, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State thanked the President for inaugurating the Committee and granting the request of the governors, from the region, for a forensic audit of the NDDC.

    The Governor expressed the hope that the result from the forensic audit would help streamline activities of the NDDC with a view to putting it on course to deliver on its mandate to the people.

    Underscoring the roles of the Advisory Committee, the Delta State Governor noted that for sustainable development of the region, the NDDC must perform its duties in close collaboration with the States to avoid duplication of projects.

    ‘‘We do not want to criticise what has happened in the NDDC for quite some time, but the fact is that the cooperation between the states and the NDDC has not been strengthened over time and we have various cases of duplication of projects that are not properly planned.

    ‘‘But I believe that with the inauguration of this body we will be able to sit down, meet together, work in collaboration and supportively to bring greater developments to our people,’’ he added.

  • Niger Delta Crisis: Contractors threaten to burn down NDDC facilities over N2.6M debt

    From Jonas Ike, Abuja

    The Niger Delta region of Nigeria may be in for another round of crisis as contractors to the Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC has threatened to vandalize all the facilities installed by it in the region unless they are paid.
    At the resumed investigative hearing of the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on NDDC Abandoned Projects on Wednesday, the Chairman Niger Delta Construction Consortium Chief Jasper Jumbo threatened that he will burn down every single facility installed by the NDDC until a debt of N2.6 million owed him is paid.
    The septuagenarian a contractor and stakeholder in a presentation to the Committee expressed disappointment at the injustices and mismanagement of resources on the part of NDDC management saying that they ‘ve been unfair to the region in term of infrastructure.
    He told the Committee that he has been a contractor of NDDC right form the days of OMPADEC and added that the agency has been owing him N2. 6 million contract debt on a job that it had issued him certificate of completion for over six years.
    He also said that he has evidence to nail a former Executive Director of Finance of the agency who demands 10% of any contract sum from any contractor that bidded for a job in the commission.
    Chairman of the Committee Hon. Ossai.Nicholas Osai had earlier queried the Acting Managing Director Dr. Enyia Akwagaga and other officials of the agency for their involvement in a N61.4 billion contract awarded by it without completion.
    The lawmaker said that a report from the office of the Auditor-General of the Federation to the Committee reveal that N70.4 billion was paid to 1723 contractors by the agency and they abandoned the projects.
    The Committee helsman later summoned all the commission’s past Managing Directors notably Nsima Ekere and Timi Alaibe and Executive Directors of Finance of the agency to appear before the Committee on Friday
    He said that available documents submitted to the committee had shown that some people still sign contracts after leaving office.
  • Bauchi ex-Gov. admits paying N8.5bn to contractors two days to handing over

    Bauchi ex-Gov. admits paying N8.5bn to contractors two days to handing over

    Immediate-past Governor of Bauchi State, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar, on Tuesday, admitted before the Federal High Court, Abuja, that he paid N8.5 billion on May 27, two days before handing over power.

    Abubakar, however, told the court that the money was paid to contractors, who he claimed executed various infrastructural contracts for the state under his watch.

    He also admitted that the N8.5 billion was paid to the contractors the same day the money was received from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on the order of the Federal Government as a refund for jobs done for the Federal Government.

    The former governor, through his Counsel, Basil Kpenkpen, had, on Tuesday, in an 18-paragraph affidavit filed to support his application to be joined in the suit instituted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), denied laundering the sum of N19.9 billions as alleged by the anti-graft agency.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Justice Taiwo Taiwo had, on Aug. 2, granted the EFCC’s prayer to freeze the First City Monument Bank (FCMB)’s Operational Account number: 0998552074 of the Bauchi State government.

    The EFCC, through his Counsel, Mr Abubakar Aliyu, in an exparte motion with file number: FHC/ABJ/CS/858/2019, had sought the order of the court to freeze the account pending the conclusion of the ongoing investigation by the commission.

    NAN reports that the state government presently has about N11 billion in the bank account.

    Justice Taiwo ordered the EFCC to, within 21 days, notify the respondents; the Bauchi State government and the FCMB about the court’s decision.

    Counsel to the EFCC had told the judge that the commission was investigating a money laundering case in which the account featured prominently.

    The judge, however, adjourned further hearing until Sept. 3.

    Meanwhile, Abubakar, on Tuesday, told Justice Maha that the state government under his leadership had executed some infrastructural projects on behalf of the Federal Government to the tune of N14.6 billions and that the refund for the jobs by the Federal Government did not come until May 27, when he was about handing over to his successor.

    The ex-governor explained that immediately the N14.6 billion entered the state government’s operational account on May 27, a schedule of payment was prepared and executed to the tune of N8.9 billion as sundry payment and upon approval of the outgoing state executive council under his watch.

    Abubakar however alleged that the probe of the N8.5 billion disbursement and other transaction with the bank account by EFCC was allegedly at the instance of the current Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s administration under Alhaji Bala Mohammed, as part of efforts to rubbish and diminish the legacies of his government.

    He therefore urged the court to include him as a party in the suit to enable him defend himself.

    However, objecting to his application for joinder, the EFCC, Counsel to the former governor Abubakar Aliu, in an 18-paragraph counter-affidavit, urged the court to disregard the application on the grounds that the proper parties to the suit are the Bauchi State government and First City Monument Bank.

    He added that the ex-governor cannot be personally affected directly or indirectly by the outcome of the suit.

    The anti-graft agency in the counter affidavit deposed to by one of its staff, Mohammed Abdullahi, asserted that contrary to the claims of the ex-governor that contractors were paid the sum, the 21 FCMB cheques used in paying out the money were issued in the name of the manager of the bank.

    The commission explained that its investigation so far revealed that contracts contained in the schedule of payment approved by the former governor were not executed.

    The EFCC, therefore, prayed the court to dismiss the application for joinder on the grounds that the probe of the disbursement has nothing to do with personality and politics of the ex-governor.

    Justice Nkeonye Maha, after listening to the parties. adjourned the case until Sept. 10 for further hearing.

    Justice Maha, who gave the order, referred the matter back to Justice Taiwo for further hearing, citing a time constraint as her reason.

    “There are election matters that I need to decide on quickly and since Justice Taiwo will resume as vacation judge by Sept. 9, it is better my brother justice hears the case”, she said.

  • Lagos releases N5.5bn to contractors for 181 inner roads

    …Project to be delivered within six months

    The Lagos State Government on Thursday said it has released the sum of N5.563billion to contractors to flag off the construction of the 181 roads spread across the 20 Local Governments and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in the State.

    In a statement by the State’s Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Ade Akinsanya, the Government said the construction of the 181 council roads was in fulfillment of the promise by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to open up more inner roads across the State following the successful delivery of the 114 roads in September 2016.

    According to Akinsanya, the roads would be constructed in phases, noting that phase one will see the construction of one road each in the 20 LGs and 37 LCDAs of which contractors have been mobilised to move to site immediately.

    The Commissioner said the sum of N5,563,697,382.00 released was 30 percent payment for the construction of the 57 roads while the total cost of the roads stands at N18,545,657,940.00.

    “The roads will be done in phases, already phase one has been released. This phase involves 57 roads cutting across the 20 Local Governments and 37 Local Council Development Areas.

    To enhance immediately mobilization to site, 30 percent has been given to all the contractors upfront. This is in line with the magnanimity of Governor Ambode’s administration to ensure service delivery all year round,” Akinsanya said.

    He said due process was observed in awarding the contracts, adding that bids were opened on November 1, 2017 after which they were evaluated and considered.

    He said there are 57 contractors involved in the first phase of the construction with a mandate to deliver in six months.

    “Governor Ambode is totally committed to ensuring that Lagosians continue to enjoy good governance. There are many projects going on simultaneously across the State and the roads to be constructed will further open up the LGs and LCDAs for economic prosperity,” Akinsanya said.

    The Commissioner, however, urged residents to continue to pay their taxes promptly to enable the Government to meet up with its target to complete all ongoing projects in the State this year.

  • N100bn revenue shortfall: FG orders contractors to show TIN before payment

    …Moves to block revenue leakages by contractors

    …To undertake compliance spot checks on MDAs

    The Federal Government has ordered vendors of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to display their Tax Identification Numbers (TINs) on their invoices before payments are effected by the MDAs.

    The Federal Government’s directive was handed down on Tuesday in Abuja by the Honourable Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun to the Accountant General of the Federation, Alhaji Ahmed Idris.

    The order is part of resolute efforts by the Government to block revenue leakages by the MDAs’ vendors. About N100 billion has been discovered as tax revenue shortfall by contractors between 2012 and 2017.

    Adeosun, in a memo titled “Compliance with Tax Payments by Federal Government Vendors”, disclosed that persistent leakages in revenue remittances by vendors had been uncovered by the Government’s Project Lighthouse, a systemwide revenue intelligence data-warehouse.

    The leakages, according to her, were due to lack of TIN particularly on Value Added Tax (VAT), Withholding Tax (WHT) and other related inflows into the government coffers

    The Minister said, “In order to address these lapses in the implementation of the 2017 Budget as well as boost the revenue accruable to the Government, all MDAs should be directed to insist that invoices submitted by vendors for payments must clearly state the TIN.

    “This is to confirm tax compliance by relevant government vendors before payments are effected.”

    She added that the directive to the government vendors is in compliance with the provisions of both the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and Procurement Acts of 2007 respectively.

    The Minister stated that spot checks would be undertaken on MDAs to confirm compliance with the directive.

     

     

  • FG approves use of promissory notes to offset contractors, states’ debts

    FG approves use of promissory notes to offset contractors, states’ debts

    The Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday approved promissory notes for offsetting the debts owed contractors and state governments.

    This was revealed by the Minister of Finance Mrs Kemi Adeosun to State House correspondents at the end of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

    With her were Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Mohammed Bello, Head of Service of the Federation Winifred Oyo-Ita and Special Adviser on Media and Publicity Femi Adesina.

    Adeosun said a rigorous and strong process would be put in place to ascertain the debts that had accrued since 2006.

    The debts, she said, also included pension liabilities and unpaid salaries.

    In her words: “Federal Executive Council approves a process to validate and pay inherited Federal Government contractors and employee liabilities

    “Obligations accumulated over the last two decades to be paid through bond and promissory note issuance to resolve long outstanding dues and stimulate economic activity

    “The Federal Executive Council has today approved the Ministry of Finance’s proposed validation process and promissory note and debt issuance programme to resolve a number of inherited and long outstanding Federal Government (FG) obligations to contractors, state governments and employees.

    “This will be followed by a request to the National Assembly to approve the programme ahead of implementation.

    “In March 2017, the Economic Management Team, under the leadership of His Excellency Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, mandated the Minister of Finance to chair a committee that would establish a process to confirm the validity of inherited Federal Government obligations, and propose a mechanism to resolve them.

    “These obligations largely consist of dues owed to state governments, oil marketers, power generation and distribution companies, suppliers and contractors by FG parastatals and agencies, payments due under the Export Expansion Grant (EEG), outstanding judgement balances as well as pension and other benefits to Federal Government employees. Some of the obligations date back as far as 1994. The resolution of this will significantly enhance liquidity in critical sectors of the economy.

    “Following an exhaustive process of reconciliation, the committee has been able to provisionally confirm a discounted total of N2.7 trillion of obligations, consisting of N740 billion of outstanding pensions and promotional salary arrears (not discounted) and N1.93 trillion (discounted) of other obligations, including dues to Federal Government contractors and suppliers.

    “These numbers are aligned with existing Federal Government estimates and, in some cases, are lower than previously estimated.”

    “The supplier and contractor obligations will be resolved through a strict process of final validation, following which those confirmed will be settled through the issuance of liquid promissory notes (10-year tenure), phased over a three-year period to minimise impact on liquidity and with preference given to those willing to offer the largest discounts.

    “Obligations owed to individuals (for example pensions and employee benefits) will be resolved through the issuance of specific bond instruments, again phased over the next three years. These obligations will then be incorporated into the Medium- Term Expenditure Framework by the Ministry of Budget and National Planning,” she said.

    Mrs. Adeosun noted that the economy cannot move at the right pace if the legacy issues inherited are not addressed.

    The issues, she said, act as a significant drag on economic activity.

    “The government must be a driver of growth, and enable private sector activity. It should not be the most significant obligor to many value creating businesses. At the same time, we have an obligation to our Federal Government employees to address these long-outstanding pension and employment benefit issues.

    “We are doing this systematically, and we want to do so once and for all. We are enhancing the government’s controls and processes to ensure we do not find ourselves in this situation again.”

    “Over the last two decades, the Federal Government has built up over N2.7 trillion of obligations which were not cash backed, and remain outstanding to this day. We have developed a solution that will simultaneously resolve these issues, and deliver a boost to economic performance.

    “Our solution will remove the drag on economic performance these obligations cause, improve liquidity in key sectors, especially the power sector where we will resolve Federal Government dues to the distribution and generation companies, and so boost investor confidence. It will also help to improve non-performing loan ratio’s in the banking sector, where an unacceptable number of NPL’s are linked to Government contracts.” she added

    According to her, the total size of the obligations identified are N3.4 trillion.

    The debts, she said, included “non-payment of fuel subsidy dating back many years on which interest was accruing according to the contracts.

    “Unpaid electricity bills by MDAs and obligations accruing to distribution companies, including those from the 50% reduction in electricity tariffs in March 2015.

    “Unpaid salary obligations outstanding since 2012 and pension arrears, etc.

    “Outstanding contractor obligations. Judgment obligations dating as far back as 1994,” she said

    Mrs. Adeosun went on: “By recognising the discounted obligation, we will be effectively restating our debt position, increasing the debt to GDP ratio from 18.9% to 21.5%, however, according to MTEF forecasts, the ultimate impact on debt service to revenue is minimal, as debt service to revenue is forecasted to move from 35.78% to 35.84% after the full bond issuance if approved.”

    Following the approval of the Federal Executive Council, she said that the next steps include “request approval from the National Assembly for the debt issuance to resolve the pension and employee benefit issues.”

    “Complete the process of validating and inspecting the contractor projects (at least 80% will be physically inspected by an independent third party (to be witnessed by relevant Civil Society Organisations) while all documents related to debt claims will be independently reviewed by a major international accountancy firm for validation).

    “DMO to issue the first tranche of debt to pay the pension and salary obligations.

    “The first round of promissory notes to be issued to contractors,” Mrs Adeosun said.

     

  • Building collapse: NSE blames agencies, contractors

    Building collapse: NSE blames agencies, contractors

    The Imo chapter of Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) has blamed regulatory agencies and Owerri Capital Development Agency (OCDA) for incessant building collapse in the state.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that two three storey buildings under construction collapsed at Obinze and Umuguma, both in Owerri West Local Government Area, on Tuesday and Wednesday respectively.

    The Chairman of NSE in the state, Mr Emeka Ugoanyawu, said shortly after visiting the scenes, blamed contractors for not engaging professional engineers in most building constructions.

    Ugoanyawu said that people in the state were known for engaging non-professionals for building projects.

    He said NSE would probe incessant building collapse in the state and urged security agencies to ensure the immediate clearing of the rubble at the sites to either recover corpses or save lives.

    The chairman said that NSE would sanction any engineer directly involved in any of the two buildings.

    Also, the NSE Secretary, Mr Ebere Ononiwu, blamed OCDA for not supervising buildings in the state.

    He said “OCDA is a government organisation vested with the powers to approve and regulate building but they have fallen short of the standard.

    “How can OCDA approve a building for construction but will never supervise the building until it is completed?”

    Ononiwu also accused the agency of not having qualified engineers to conduct building inspections and that the gap had given rise to quackery in the industry.

    “This is the major reason why quacks have taken over the job of professional engineers and if the situation is not urgently addressed, everybody will be exposed to serious danger,” he said.

    A member of the International Federation of Consultant Engineers, Mr Emmanuel Obiakor, said there was no guarantee for any building handled by a quack.

    “I can tell you that no professional engineer has a stake in these two collapsed buildings,” Obiakor said.

    He said that the popular practice in Imo was engaging quacks and non-professionals for building projects, which was counterproductive.

    “It is cheaper for clients to consult professionals to handle their job than using quacks,” Obiakor said.

     

     

    NAN

  • Stop bribing project supervisors, FG warns contractors

    The Federal Government on Friday warned contractors against bribing controllers and engineers overseeing projects.

    Hammering the stance of the Federal Government against bribery, Minister of State for Power, Works and Housing, Alhaji Mustapha Shahuri, said most jobs get poorly delivered because contractors compromise standards and the supervisors who are supposed to raise alarm have been bribed.

    In his words: “Most jobs get poorly handled because the supervisors are bribed to look the other way while specifications are being ignored and quality compromised.

    “Contractors handling major projects are the worst culprits in this respect; we have told them that we shall not accept any shoddy job from anyone.”

    He advised job handlers to adhere strictly to contractual agreements, and declared that state controllers of the ministry and supervisors monitoring projects would be held responsible for shoddy jobs under their care.

    The minister warned government officials fond of receiving gratification to desist from that, saying that anyone would face the full wrath of the law.
    NAN

  • We’ll pay road contractors based on quality of job delivery – Fashola

    The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, has said that henceforth contractors handling federal roads in the country will be paid according to their performance on the job.

    Fashola made this known when he inspected work on sections two and three of the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway, covering the Umuahia-Lokpanta-Enugu axis.

    He said the measure became necessary to enable the government to know the contractors that were genuine and committed to completing their job.

    The minister said that the government expected the contractors to invest their own funds in the job, believing that they would be paid upon the satisfactory completion of the contract.

    Fashola said that government was determined to change the old practice where contractors would stop work and idle away on the site because they were not paid.

    “Continue to work, do not stop. Send in your certificates and let your consultants and the controllers go through and verify them and once we are satisfied, we will pay,” he said.

    He urged the contractors not to bother about looking at the budget to confirm whether or not their names appeared, saying that “the budget is for the bulk and not sections of the road.”

    The minister also inspected the Arochukwu Road in Abia, and said that he was satisfied with the quality of work by the contractors.

    He expressed joy that the Federal Government had succeeded in bringing the contractors back to site, after three years of inactivity due to the lack of payment.

    He said that the resumption of work had helped to revive the economy, adding that workers, who were laid off, had been reinstated by the contractors.

    “This is the expectation of President Muhammadu Buhari in using the infrastructure projects to get the nation’s economy out of recession.

    The contractors were unanimous in their request for regular funding of the projects to enable them to deliver in record time.

    They complained that they suspended work on the projects after they exhausted the initial payments made in 2013, when the contracts were awarded.

    For instance, the Project Manager of Setraco Nigeria Limited, Mr Fouad Sarraf, said that the company, which is handling the Umuahia-Okigwe portion of the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway, only received N10.9 billion out of the N39.5 billion since the job was awarded in 2013

    He said that they would need N28 billion to be able to deliver the 39-km road in two years.

    On the Arochukwu Road, the contractor, Mr Nwofor Chukwumeka, said that he had the capacity to complete the 15-km-long project on schedule but said that his major challenge was funding.

    Meanwhile, the minister promised to effect the release of funds to him to enable him to expedite work on the project

    He further promised that the contract could be extended to Ohafia, measuring 17-km, should he deliver the Arochukwu project on target.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Fashola had on Thursday inspected the Umuahia-Aba end of the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway as well as the Aba-Ikot Ekpene Road, where contractors had also returned to site.

     

    NAN