FEDERAL MINSTRY OF WORKS ADOPTS MORE WORKEABLE MEASURES TO END DELAYS OF CONTRACTORS  IN PROJECT  DELIVERY, EXPRESSES COMMITMENT  TO CREATIVITY, INNOVATIONS AND THINKING  OUT OF THE BOX TO MEET THE ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE  NEEDS OF NIGERIANS As part of strategic  infrastructure  development  masterplan  of the Renewed Hope administration of His Excellency President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, the Federal Government  has adopted workeable measures  to end the old order of unnecessary delays in the execution  of road infrastructure  projects by  contractors and has taken steps to rejig the monstrous contract price variation  clause which has been a major clog in the wheel of progress of project execution over the years.  This was contained in the briefing of the Honourable Minister of Works, His Excellency Sen. Engr. Nweze David Umahi CON, during a meeting  with contractors handling  Federal Government's projects, held at the Ministry's Headquarters, Mabushi-Abuja on 10th  June 2024. The Honourable Minister expressed  the urgency of thinking realistically, creatively, innovatively, and thinking  out of the  square to  overcome  the funding  challenges that face road infrastructure development  in Nigeria.  He narrated, " When the Renewed Hope administration came on board on 29th May 2023, Mr. President  inherited over 2600 ongoing projects  from the past administration amounting to over N15 trillion, out of which only about N2 trillion was certified  and paid.  And so we now have ongoing  projects  of N13 trillion, including  budgetary projects, NNPCL, SUKUK, Presidential Initiative  Development  Projects, other Tax Credit  Scheme Projects  of NLNG, MTN, Dangote,  BUA, Mainstream and projects  under EPC +F, PPP"  He stated that the  aftermaths  of fuel subsidy and the forex forces affected  drastically  the contract cost elements and pricing of which Variation on Price( VOP) could not provide a remedy especially  for jobs awarded so many years ago, and where  VOP on contracts was sometimes  hitting  500%. He further  stated  that in looking  for a solution, the Ministry  sought for and got Mr. President's   approval to give an envelope in the 2024 budgetary  provision to keep all the inherited  projects  alive, believing  that more  funding of such projects could  come  by thinking  outside the box.  The new projects under the 2024 projects, including the constituency projects of the National Assembly, also have poor budgetary  allocations. In tackling responsibly the challenges  of funding, price  variation, and delays  in projects delivery, the Honourable  Minister introduced  responsive  approaches which were adopted as the Ministry's measures to overcome  the challenges  of road infrastructure development in Nigeria. Such measures  include but are not limited to reviewing  the VOP clause  to ensure workability  in line with the economic realities,  making  it a policy  that all contractors handling  two carriageway projects (with the exemption of the 3 legacy projects) must first complete  one side of the two carriageways and thereafter  continue  with the second part subject to availability of fund, advancement  of funds after  award of contract  is subject to conditions contained  in the bid document, going  forward. Other measures adopted were that contractors must have a timeline for project delivery, and every contractor shall have a duty to maintain  the road under construction until the entire project  is completed  and delivered.  A deadline shall be given for all ongoing projects, and with time, all projects that have no funding  shall be stood down, but projects  will be selected  Zone by zone or State by State for funding. In applying these measures,  he emphasized that all contractors will be treated equally. "One thing that is our policy is that no contractor in the Ministry of Works will be treated differently.  Whether you're an indigenous contractor or you're a foreign contractor, insofar as you can turn cement to the right grade and place it rightly. You're a good contractor; we check, and it's good."  The Honourable Minister noted the various  projects  completed  by contractors  and other major ones to be ready for commissioning  from July, 2024 and directed  the Directors in charge  of each Geo-Political  Zone to officially and publicly commission  the various  projects completed  in their  respective  Zones.  He further directed  that committees  made up of the Ministry's  Engineers and the  Media correspondents  be set up to pay inspection  visits  to the respective  zones to assess  the level of project performance in all the federal government projects being  handled  by the Federal Ministry of Works  under the Renewed Hope administration.   ...

RENEWED HOPE ADMINISTRATION COMMITTED TO COMPLETING THE ABUJA-KADUNA- KASTINA-KANO FEDERAL HIGHWAY, COMMENCES  DESIGN OF SOKOTO -BADAGRY  ROAD The Honourable Minister of Works, His Excellency, Sen. Engr. Dr. Nweze David Umahi CON  has reiterated  the commitment  of Federal Government  under the Renewed Hope administration of the President of Nigeria, His Excellency, President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR to completing  the Abuja- Kaduna-Katsina- Kano Federal  Highway  within a record  time.  He stated this during a courtesy visit of the Governor of Kaduna State, His Excellency, Sen. Uba Sani to his office, Mabushi-Abuja, on 7th May 2024.  Speaking  during  the event,  the Honourable  Minister said  he had the directive  of Mr. President to present  a programme  that could see to the completion  of the project within  the next one year.  He assured the Governor that the project, which  was inherited   from the past administration, would  be started in three sections as soon as possible. He said, "We are going to have the first section of 38 kilometers by 2, (which is 76 kilometers,) done by Dangote Group  of Companies on Tax Credit and it's going to use concrete to do it. We will allow the next 82 kilometers for Julius Berger to handle. And then the last 20 kilometers by 2,  (which is 40 kilometers) for  BUA to handle and  to also use concrete to do that.  And I can assure you that the job will start in these three sections within this month of May." The Honourable Minister commended  the Governor  for the peace and development being witnessed in  Kaduna State under his administration despite inherent challenges. "I want to commend you very highly. In spite of the challenges you have in your State, you have started extremely very well.  And God will be with you. God will provide the means  because you mean well  for the nation, for your people in Kaduna State and in fact, for everyone who is living in Kaduna State.  I want to commend you. I commend you for the peace of the State, the unity of the State and the oneness of the State, irrespective of religion "He further  stated that the  President's  directive on designing  1000 kilometers  Sokoto- Badagry Highway was being  handled with dispatch by the Federal Ministry of Works, noting  that  the project  would cover the old African trade route  of Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Ondo,  Oyo, Ogun, Lagos States, connecting  to Badagry.   He also stated that a proposal was being made to link the South East to the North through the Trans Sahara Highway  that would have a spur passing through Benue, Kogi, Nasarawa, and end in Abuja. On his part, the Governor of Kaduna State extolled  the vision and will  of the President of Nigeria  in revolutionizing  road infrastructure, which  is a catalyst  for the socio- economic development  of  the  nation, and the commitment  of the Honourable Minister of Works  which has changed  the narrative in the development of road infrastructure in Nigeria.  He said," I have to commend him for his effort. Since his assumption to office, he has made us proud, because he has done extremely well, and because he has been able to follow the blueprint of our President, who has promised everyone when he was elected, that he would take development to every part of Nigeria, irrespective of those that elected him or not. And of course, that is the agenda, that is the Renewed Hope. Today, we are proud to say that development is reaching everywhere in Nigeria." He commended the President's initiative  to construct Lagos-Calabar road and the Sokoto-Badagry road, noting that the projects would enhance the socio-economic potential  of the country when completed. He emphasized the importance of Federal Government's intervention on the Eastern Bypass in Kaduna State, the Mando-Benigwari road connecting the North-West. He said that the road was of prime importance for agricultural programmes in the North. "And for all of us in Northern Nigeria, you will agree with me that farming is very important.  And what we really want is creating opportunities for people that are in the rural areas. That will certainly help, particularly our farmers, linking our farms with markets. Our people believe in this infrastructure to support our farmers. ...

GOVERNOR UBA SANI COMMENDS WORKS MINISTER OVER INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT, URGES COMPLETION OF KEY PROJECTS. Kaduna state Governor Senator Uba Sani, has commended the Honourable Minister of Works His Excellency Engr. Dr. David Umahi over his efforts on Infrastructural development across the Country. The Governor made this remark during a courtesy visit to the Minister of Works in his office in Abuja. Sani praised the progress being made on various road projects, including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road, Sokoto-Badagry Road, and Kaduna- Zamfara –Sokoto as well as the Zaria to Kaduna, Makurdi-Enugu Road amongst others. The Senator the described the Abuja –Kaduna road to link to four (4) states with enormous benefit to cities and rural communities.  He also urged the Minister to complete the Eastern bypass in Kaduna and the Mando – Birnin- Gwari Road, which was promised by President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu during his campaign visit to Kaduna.      Senator Sani commended the Minister for separating the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Road project, which will now be constructed by Dangote, BUA, and Julius Berger through the Tax Credit Scheme.  He expressed his excitement over the project's completion within the next one year as directed by President Tinubu.        In his remarks, the Honourable Minister assured Senator Sani that the projects will be completed as scheduled and thanked him for his support and encouragement. He also commended Senator Sani for his leadership role in bringing everyone together irrespective of religious or ethnic affiliations and commitment to the development of Kaduna State and the nation at large. The meeting reinforced the Federal Government's commitment to Infrastructural development and its determination to leave a lasting legacy in Nigeria's path to development. ...