Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang has approved the mobilization of contractors to various abandoned project sites in the State aimed at upgrading slums to urban centers within Jos Bukuru metropolis
The Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Hon. Joshua Ubandoma Laven while taking a tour to abandoned project sites and monitoring compliance by contractors said the Mutfwang administration is committed to improving the living conditions of the masses who overwhelmingly voted him and stood by him during his legal battles.
Laven was at the Utonko Nunku, Abattoir road with 9 span fly over bridge handled by P. W Nigeria Limited abandoned for almost 11 years due to lack of continuation in government policies as well as the 5 kilometer road networks in Utan area of Jos North handled by Rick Rock Nigeria Limited, said the State government will leave no stone unturned to ensure these projects are completed before the end of this year.
The Commissioner also visited the abandoned Sabon Gari, Tudun Wada, Kabong satellite market road Network, being handled by Jolex Construction Nigeria Limited awarded in 2017 at the cost of N1.8 billion without any form of mobilization to the contractor.
Laven and his team was also at the abandoned rehabilitation of 24.1 kilometer road networks in Bukuru Jos South LGA for about 11 years handled by P. W Nigeria Limited, as well as the Ama streets, Mallam Kure, Fatima road networks handled by Wakema Construction Nigeria Limited as well as the construction of roads in Angwan Rogo with a spur linking Ali Kazaure handled by Latokem construction limited and bridge respectively.
Laven who was perturbed by the inability of Rick Rock Construction company to mobilized to site having received mobilization fee, gave the company three days to go back to site or risk revocation of the 11 years contract.
The Commissioner expressed worries over lack of continuation of people’s centered projects outlined to better the living conditions of citizens of the State by the last administration amounting to deliberate wastage in government resources.
“Inline with the directives of Governor Mutfwang that all contractors handling projects who have been mobilize should go back to site, we took a step to go round the various people’s centered projects.
“Some started 11 years ago and was not continued by the last administration. Some awarded 7 years ago by the last administration but mobilization fee was not made available to the contractors, allowing the contractors to deploy his money on site for over a year before receiving pieces meal as payment and taxes removed is very unfortunate.
“You have seen the Utonko, Nunku, Abattoir road which was at it’s final level for citizens of the State to start using it but was left by the last administration and water washed away the gravels, asphalt, leading to erosion.
“If only this was completed, we won’t be here. Many of the abandoned projects are like that including those the last administration awarded”.
“But the Governor is not interested in who is the contractor or contractors handling these projects, he has directed that all uncompleted projects must be completed because they’re people centered projects.
“P. W Nigeria Limited have gone to site, Jolex Construction Nigeria Limited is also deploying equipment to site, and so I expected Rick Rock Nigeria Limited to do same.
“We have overcome distractions and ready for good governance. We will not tolerate any act of sabotage”, he said.
Earlier, on behalf of P.W constructions, Engr. Mike Ajiboye assured that the Utunku, Nunku, Abattoir road and 9 span fly over bridge will be ready in no distance time.
“We are so happy to be back to site on the Plateau. We are here to start work because we have received the mobilization fee as promised by the Governor and that is why you can see that we have mobilized fully to site.
“The remaining work here will not take up to 6 months, before the six months, people will start using this road,” he said.
The Managing Director (MD), Jolex Constructions, Mr John Chinedu said the earlier duration as contain in the contract agreement was 12 months but a lot has been done already and won’t take much to complete the road networks.
“The project is a 6.9 kilometer, awarded in 2017 at the cost of N1.8 billion and there was no advanced payment but we went on site. Before we got our advanced payment it was after one year and the payment was in four instalment, that was one of our greatest challenges.
“We initially have 12 months calendar year agreement, but we have done 45% to 50% of the job. The the remaining work won’t take us 12 months again to complete the work”, he said.
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