On Wednesday, David Umahi, the Minister of Works, issued a seven-day ultimatum to Julius Berger to accept the Federal Government’s offer of N740.79 billion for the completion of the 82km section II of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano road.
News About Nigeria reports that the Minister issued the ultimatum during a courtesy visit by the new Managing Director of Julius Berger Plc, Dr Pier Lubasch, accompanied by the outgoing Managing Director, Dr Lars Richter, at the Ministry Headquarters in Abuja.
Speaking in a statement signed by his Special Adviser (Media), Orji Uchenna, Umahi noted that the company risks termination of the contract if it does not accept the offer.
This is as the Minister lamented the fact that the delay in mobilising to the site despite the approved funds by the Federal Executive Council is causing untold hardship to the road users.
The statement partly reads, “The Honourable Minister of Works, His Excellency, Sen. Engr. Nweze David Umahi, CON, has for the umpteenth time called on Julius Berger Plc. to show corporate patriotism by accepting the Federal Government’s approved reviewed total contract sum of ₦740, 797,204,713.25 (Seven Hundred and Forty Billion, Seven Hundred and Ninety-Seven Million, Two Hundred and Four Thousand, Seven Hundred and Thirteen Naira, Twenty-Five Kobo for the completion of the rehabilitation of the 82 km section II of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano road, contract No.6350.”
“So if Berger is not doing it, then let’s have other people do the job and within the time that we can control price. We’ve had more than 20 letters from Berger on this. It is a ping pong game from Julius Berger. The prices rose from ₦710 billion to ₦740 billion because of these delays. And if we continue the delays, it is the problem of the Ministry of Works.”
While expressing displeasure that Julius Berger Plc, which has had years of patronage by the Federal Government and sub-national governments, is not accepting the FG’s pricing at this time of Nigeria’s economic challenges, the Minister urged the contractor to within seven days accept or reject the approved reviewed contract sum for the completion of the rehabilitation of section II of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano road, or face contract termination.
