FG issues contractors 14 days ultimatum to move to project sites

By Chris Ochayi

The Federal Government on Wednesday asked contractors handling various road projects across the country to move to project sites within 14 days or risk losing such contracts.

Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, who gave the ultimatum during a meeting with Contractors, Partners and Stakeholders in the Works Sector in Abuja, also directed that every contractors going back to the site must give the ministry a programme of work.

According to the Minister, “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. ”

He also called on contractors to desist from saying what will be done rather they should do what is expected of them.

Engr. Umahi added that, “It is my ability to pay you and it’s your ability to do the work that is what matters”.

Umahi directed that letters be issued to all contractors against having any negations on their contacts rather to go back to site and do a permanent work.

He informed that there’s no processing of certificate or payment of mobilisation fee to contractors who failed to obey the rules. “If you want me to pay your mobilisation fee or process your certificate, please obey first.

“We want to know how you got your POP, how your POP probably occurred in labour, we want to know how much you spent on disiel that is used in production of asphalt, in doing the work, so we want to know what the contractor is doing, we most know so that we can find out how we can come in to help.

‘No program of work, no processing of your certificate and certification of your POP and if there’s increase in your contract you have to let us know how. So if you are waiting for payment, I will not pay, if you are waiting for certificate to be signed I will not do it.

“The truth is it’s our right to asked so that if I’m signing any certificate am bound to explain. So if they sue me it is not the Directors, Please give me the privilage to preserve my future by allowing me know, if I carry the Bible or the Qur’an I will be able to say I know about it.”

The Minister expressed displeasure over where asphalt used is been sourced from, with research showing that the importation of butimen into the Country is not up to five percent.

Umahi said enough is enough that Nigerians are tired of game playing, that they want to see good 10km of good roads.

Umahi said 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.