Federal Government Cancels Road Expansion Contracts for Obajana-Benin Highway
In a decisive move, the federal government has terminated road expansion contracts awarded to Mothercat Ltd, Dantata & Sawoe Construction Ltd, and Reynolds Construction Company (RCC) Ltd for specific sections of the Obajana-Benin highway. This action was taken due to significant project delays and the contractors’ failure to meet performance expectations.
The contracts in question—6136 (Mothercat Ltd), 6137 (Dantata & Sawoe Construction Ltd), and 6138 (RCC Ltd)—pertain to critical sections of the highway: section II (Okene-Auchi) in Kogi/Edo State, section III (Auchi-Ehor) in Edo State, and section IV (Ehor-Benin) in Edo State.
Minister of Works David Umahi cited substantial project delays and the contractors’ non-compliance with their contractual duties as the primary reasons for the cancellations. According to a statement from his Special Adviser on Media, Uchenna Orji, these violations resulted in the projects stalling and the contracts expiring due to the passage of time.
Umahi has instructed the responsible engineers to promptly assess the site and the ongoing projects, and to take control from the affected companies. “He warns that the Federal Ministry of Works under his watch will not condone acts of unseriousness and sabotage by contractors whose plan is to become a clog in the wheel of progress of the Renewed Hope administration, which is determined to change the ugly narrative of Nigeria’s road infrastructure,” the statement read.
Furthermore, the Minister cautioned that any future contracts that receive funding but fail to meet performance expectations will face similar repercussions. “He further warns that going forward, the government will not hesitate in terminating all projects that are funded but are non-performing,” Orji stated.
This decisive action underscores the government’s commitment to ensuring the timely and efficient completion of critical infrastructure projects, vital for the nation’s development and progress.
