David Umahi, Minister of Works, has appealed to the concessionaire handling the Benin-Asaba road to immediately write to the Federal Government through the Ministry of Works to enable it to terminate their contract.
The minister also ordered the concessionaire to urgently remove all the blockages on the Benin-Asaba road to allow free flow of traffic.
Umahi made the appeal and issued the directive on Wednesday in Benin at a stakeholders’ engagement in Government House, Benin.
According to him, we are therefore pleading with you to give us written approval to proceed in this manner, we believe this is the way forward.
“Therefore, our directive going forward is that you should be removed from the site of this project, within the limits of our rights. You have added no value to the project,” he said.
He stressed that “the Federal Ministry of Works should write to the Independent Engineer to request measurements of all the works that had been carried out, excluding what we describe as negative work.
“When you remove asphalt contrary to the contract and contrary to the specifications, that is negative work.
“It will not be recognised as part of the value of work done. In fact, the cost of rectifying the damage must also be established.
“Now, we want to plead with you, as the clients acting in the interest of the public, we do not believe that you currently have the capacity to reinstate the road.
“We have not stopped you from working, but if you continue doing what you are currently doing, we are not convinced that you will be able to avert the potential for public disorder in that area.”
The minister, while suggesting ways to remedy the current hardship caused by the concessionaire, directed that the affected sections should then be reconstructed under the supervision of the Independent Engineer.
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