By John Alechenu, Abuja
The Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, has warned contractors who collected Federal Government funds but failed to mobilise to project sites that they risk sanctions, including action by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC.
Umahi issued the warning at a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, saying the government would no longer tolerate contractors who prioritise state projects over federal projects after receiving mobilisation funds.
He said the ministry had rescoped and re-phased projects to improve implementation, warning contractors who had collected funds to return to their sites or risk recovery of the money.
“All the money contractors have in their hands, they must exhaust it to earn more. We have rescoped the projects, we have re-phased them. From next week, any contractor that has collected money and is not on site, we will call up their APG to recover the money,” he said.
The minister said some contractors handling federal projects had allegedly shown greater commitment to jobs awarded by state governments.
“I have noticed that some contractors handling federal projects are more serious with state projects than with federal jobs. I have made a commitment that that must stop,” Umahi said.
He said the era of lobbying for intervention or seeking political influence to avoid contractual obligations was over.
“Instead of doing your projects, you are calling stakeholders to intervene. The President has never intervened. Those who collected money must do the work. The President is my boss, I listen to him.
“If you have Federal Government money, no matter who is behind you, you will either meet us at the EFCC or we will meet you in your bank to recover the money,” he warned.
Umahi said the ministry had also strengthened its project monitoring and supervision mechanism, involving six Senior Special Assistants to the President, the EFCC, ICPC, civil society organisations and student groups.
“It is going to be aggressive site visitation and supervision. We have alerted the EFCC, ICPC, civil society organisations. Students are also doing their own monitoring. We have unleashed six SSAs to Mr. President for project visitation and supervision,” he said.
Despite concerns over some non-performing contractors, the minister said a number of major road and bridge projects had been completed and were ready for commissioning.
Among the projects he listed were 70km of the Kano-Maiduguri Road, including sections around Hadejia; the 43km Keffi-Mararaba road being handled by China Harbour; the 15km Lafia bypass; and the 7.9km Bonny Island road.
Others, according to Umahi, include the Obajana Junction concrete pavement on the Lokoja-Benin corridor; the Danbatta-Demesu road; Gombe-Bauchi road rehabilitation; the Azare axis linking Jigawa and Bauchi; Apapa five-span bridge; Eke-Obinagu 23-span flyover in Enugu; the 75-metre Tizm Bridge, also in Enugu; and the 24km Sagamu Interchange-Iperu Junction road in Ogun State.
The minister said the government would continue to monitor project execution and take steps to recover public funds where contractual obligations were not met.
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