Contractors Plead For Adequate Funding For Abuja-Lokoja Road

ABJ-LKJ HIGHWAYContractors handling theĀ Abuja-Lokoja dual carriageway on Friday called for adequate funding to enable them meet the December 2014 project deadline.

They made the appeal when SURE-P Works and Bridges. Sub-Committee inspected the project on behalf of the SURE-P Convener, Mr Kassim Bataiya.

The Project Manager of Danata and Sawoe, Mr Ogereghe Theophilus, one of the contractors handling the project, told the Haijia Halima Alfa-led committee that they would complete the project if it was funded.

Theophilus said funding was the major challenge facing the project, adding ā€œif we have adequate funding, we will complete the project as soon as possible.

ā€œThis challenge made us to reduce our staff strength, but all things being equal, we will finish by Decemberā€, he said.

Also, Eze Edozie of Reynolds Construction Company (RCC) said there were also challenges in the Ā Ā payment for approved supplementary compensation and payment of certified interim statements, among others.

Edozie named high water table and poor sub-grade material on the road alignment as the other challenges facing the project.

Alfa, who urged them to place SURE-P logo on the project site, urged them to complete it by December 2014.

ā€œYou can see that Dantata and Sawoe section one is near 69 per cent completion of the entire job.

ā€œAs soon as budget is released and we provide fund for them, you heard them when they said with fund available; they will get to 100 per cent completion by December.

ā€œThen the section two that is RCC they are at 90.3 per cent completion. They are almost done, they have about 10 km worth of job to be completedā€, she said.

Alfa said that as soon as the budget was passed, the RCC section of the work would be completed by April.

She also expressed satisfaction with the level of work at the Section four, being handled by Gilto Construction ltd., at 38 per cent completion.

ā€œGilto was very down before at 16 per cent and I think they are doing very well and we are here to inspect certificate 17 submitted to us in our secretariatā€.

She urged the contractors to ensure that they do their jobs according to specifications and as approved, and assured them of prompt payment. (NAN)