By Oscarline Onwuemenyi
ABUJA – The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Sen. Bala Mohammed stated that indigenous contractors have a major role to play in the effort by the Federal Government to develop the nation’s infrastructural base.

The Minister, who stated this on Thursday during an inspection of construction work on the Karshi-Apo and the Karshi-Ara major highways in the FCT, also charged the contractors to be at their best and ensure the highest quality standards in the execution of projects.

According to him, only the assurance of qualitative project execution would justify government’s confidence and ensure more patronage in the future.

He said, “The FCT Administration is particularly proud that this project is being handled by a local contractor, a situation which has save the Federal Government almost N2 billion in costs. However, we are particular about the quality of work as that would guarantee future patronage by government.”

Meanwhile, in a bid to address the chaotic traffic situation along the Abuja-Keffi Road, the FCT Minister, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed has given the contractor handling the Apo-Karshi road 90 days to make it motorable.

He explained that the FCT Administration awarded contract for the 14-kilometre Karshi –Apo, valued at over N2.26 billion, to serve as alternative to the ever congested Nyanya/Karu road.

Mohammed stressed that the new roads were very important in order to ease the congestion on the Maraba-Nyaya-Karu corridor.

Apparently referring to last Monday’s accident wherein more than 25 people lost their lives, the Minister stated that, “We are here to emphasise the importance of this road to the well-being of the people of the FCT. People are dying on the other corridors due to massive traffic congestion and the recklessness of some drivers.

“We cannot keep living like this, more so as efforts to create byways and expand the other corridors is still ongoing. I shall be happy if this new road can be completed before December to allow its use by commuters who are presently suffering on the other corridor.”

He further charged the contractor to ensure that the earthwork as well as the primary infrastructure such as bridges and culverts on the one-carriageway road is completed before the next round of inspections in three or four months.

The Minister stressed, “We are carrying people along, and we are not taking anything or anyone for granted. We are providing roads now, by next year all the basic infrastructure including power, water, hospitals and telecommunications would be installed so that people can move in and occupy the houses.”

Sen. Mohammed further assured of the FCT Administration’s readiness to fund the project to bring it to quick completion. “This is a priority project and I assure you that we will pay in due time to ensure completion in record time for use by our citizens,” he added.

The Minister who was accompanied by the FCT Permanent Secretary and other top officials of his administration instructed that the contractor mobilise all his resources to ensure speedy completion of culverts and the necessary earth work within three months to enable motorists ply the road.

He stated that the contractor has been fully mobilised by the FCT Administration, hence there will be no need for delay due to lack of payment.

The Minister expressed satisfaction with the level of work done so far but emphasised that the contractor endeavour to make the road motorable within 90 days because the President and by extension the FCT Administration has a covenant with the people of Nigeria and cannot afford to fail.

The representative of the Contracting firm handling the project, Engineer Nosa Idhen assured that they will meet the expectation of the government and people of Nigeria.

It may be recalled that the Federal Executive Council about six months ago awarded the 14 kilometre Apo-Karshi and 25 kilometre Karshi-Arah roads at the cost of N2.26 billion and N4 billion respectively. Meanwhile, Sen. Mohammed has called for renewed synergy and collaboration among security agents that have anything to do with road transportation.

The Minister gave this challenge on Friday while meeting with the security agents including officers of the Nigeria Police Force, FCT Vehicle Inspection Officers, Federal Road Safety Commission, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps as well as FCT Transportation Secretariat in his office at Area 11, Garki I District, Abuja.

Senator Mohammed expressed dissatisfaction with the performance of the Transportation officials as well as the security agents charged with the responsibility of managing traffic in the Federal Capital Territory; lamenting that they are never seen when there is traffic crisis but reiterated that he did not call them to apportion blame other than proffering practical solutions.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/07/fct-to-support-indigenous-contractors/