The Federal Ministry of Works and Housing has assured residents of Taraba of its determination to complete all ongoing road projects in the State by 2023.
Mr Celestine Shausu, Director, Federal High Ways in charge of the North East Geo-political zone, made the declaration on Friday while inspecting the Kona-Lau 29. 9 km road under construction in Jalingo.
Shausu urged the residents to be patient and cooperate with both the contractor and the ministry to deliver the work on time.
He expressed satisfaction with the quality and speed at which Moulds Nigeria Ltd., the contractor handling the job, was executing the project.
He observed that the contract was being executed by 100 per cent Nigerians and commended the company for a good job.
The director appealed to residents who had expressed violent threat to the contractor due to non payment of compensation for their homes and economic trees to exercise patience with the Taraba State Government which was responsible for payment of the compensation.
“We are on this project site to inspect the Kona Lau 29km phase two road construction project.
“And the work done is satisfactory both in quality and speed.
“And as you can see, the contractor is an indigenous contractor with 100 per cent workforce, showing the world that Nigerians can give their best.
“I am therefore, calling on the youth in these communities to cooperate with both the company and the ministry to deliver the work on time.
“ I am appealing to the residents who come to protest and barricade the road and the company entrance for their compensation to channel their complaints to the Taraba government.
“It is the state that is saddled with the responsibility of paying compensation,’’, Shausu stated.
Mr Sam Oyefemi, Managing Director of the company, said that one of the major challenges facing the execution of the contract was the delay in payment on the part of the government.
Oyefemi attributed the challenge to low budgetary provision for road construction, which he said, was causing him to borrow funds from banks.
He appealed to the Federal Government to encourage indigenous contractors by ensuring prompt payments of work and other special treatments for motivation.
Earlier, Mr Mohammed Yakubu, Controller, Field Office of the Federal ministry of Works in Taraba, appealed to the community to stop issuance of kidnap threat against company workers.
Yakubu however, said that the Kona Lau road project was the fastest road project being executed in the state.
He said that the government had already paid N2 billion out of the N6.9 billion for the 36 per cent of the work.
He also expressed satisfaction with the pace at which the work was being executed.
The National Daily reports that the 29 km construction of the Kona-Lau phase two road project was awarded for a duration of 24 months at N6.9 billion.
The team also inspected work at Lasheke Bridge construction project in Yorro Local Government Area of the state.