A collage photo of Julius Berger logo and MD, Dr Pier Lubasch
By Victory Oghene
Julius Berger Nigeria Plc is in the news for the wrong reasons. This is beautiful the Federal Government has terminated the contract for the Rehabilitation of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Dual Carriageway, Section I (Abuja-Kaduna) from Julius Berger Construction company.
NATIONAL WAVES had penultimate week reported that the Minister of Works, David Umahi, threatened to revoke the contract after seven days if Julius Berger refused federal government’s offer of N740.79bn for the completion of the 82km section II of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano.
A statement by the Director of Press, Federal Ministry of Works, Mohammed Ahmed, said the decision was made following the failure of the management of Berger to show up for a meeting to fine-tune the contract sum which the government had pegged at N740bn which the company rejected.
“It is a sad commentary on the Company that rather than accepting the offer, they tinkered with the Bills of Quantities, as well as that of Engineering Measurements and Evaluation via a letter to the Ministry dated 29th October, 2024. The company was summoned for a meeting with the Management of the Ministry, today, 4th November, 2024 but refused to show up, hence the termination of the contract based on effluxion of time and non- performance.”
“Based on non-compliance with reviewed cost, scope and terms, stoppage of work and refusal to remobilise to site, as directed, the Federal Ministry of Works has issued a 14-day Notice of Termination to Messrs Julius Berger (Nig.) Plc for the Rehabilitation of Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Dual Carriageway in FCT, Kaduna and Kano States, Contract No.6350, Section I (Abuja-Kaduna), today, 4th November, 2024.”
He said the decision was borne out of several months of back and forth without any meaningful progress was reached at management meeting between the Ministry and Julius Berger.
Recall that the Contract for the road was awarded to Julius Berger in 2018 and was supposed to cost less than N155.7bn with a 36 months completion date.
But the cost rose to over N600 billion and six years after less than 50 percent of the road had been completed.
Ahmed noted that the ministry has in the last 13 months been in constant talks with the company, in order to reach an amiable position on the said alignment but to no avail.
“Nigerians may wish to know that the contract for the Rehabilitation of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Dual Carriageway, which was divided into three (3) Sections was awarded to the company on 20th December, 2017 and flagged off by the then Minister of Power, Works and Housing, H:E. Babatunde Raji Fashola at an initial sum of N155.7bn on 18th June, 2018.
“Sections II (Kaduna – Zaria) and III (Zaria – Kano) were partially completed and handed over during the twilight of the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR. Since then it has been one variation and augmentation or the other and finally, the present Minister of Works directed for the redesigning and re-scoping of the Section I of the contract.
“The alignment was divided into two with one phase redesigned to be on continuously reinforced concrete pavement (CRCP), while the remaining with asphaltic pavement. Approval for the Section I, Phase 1 for a length of 38 (thirty-eight) kilometres on concrete pavement was given to Messrs Dangote Industries (Nig.) Ltd, while the remaining 127 (one hundred and twenty-seven) kilometres remained with the substantive contractor. The Phase 1 was flagged off on 17th October, 2024 with a 14-month completion period.
“Due to the stalemate of the contract and, most importantly, the desire of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, as encapsulated in the Renewed Hope Agenda infrastructure initiative, to see to the completion of this laudable project, also to alleviate the sufferings of Nigerians plying the road, the Ministry re-scoped it and got the approval of the Federal Executive Council (FEC). The award for the Re-scoping and Downward Review of Contract for the Rehabilitation of Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Dual Carriageway in FCT, Kaduna and Kano States, Contract No.6350, Section I (Abuja-Kaduna) in favour of Messrs Julius Berger (Nig.) Plc from the sum of N797.2bn to N740.7bn was granted by FEC on 23rd September, 2024 and conveyed to the company on 3rd October, 2024.
“As due to the socio-economic importance the road as a vital artery connecting Abuja, the FCT to the North, the Ministry conveyed the approval for a Final Offer on the Abuja – Kaduna Dual Carriageway to the company on 23rd October, 2024, stating that it should agree, in writing, to accept the reviewed contract sum of N740.7bn within seven (7) days or risk the termination of the said contract.”
