By Mashe Umaru Gwamna
The federal government has approved the funding and construction of 30kilometer road; three sections of Benin-Lokoja road project.
The project will be funded under Tax Credit Scheme by BUA Group.
He said FG had agreed to BUA’s commitment to construct 30 kilometer of the road under the tax credit scheme after which a tax certificate would be awarded to the company.
Minister of Works David Umahi made this disclosure during a press briefing in Abuja, meeting with contractors handling the road projects.
Umahi said that three other contractors would be mobilised for the construction of the remaining 30 kilometres.
“Four contractors will handle the four sections off the road.
The first section from Lokoja is being handled by CGC, the second section is being handled by Mother Cat Limited.
The third section is handled by Dantata and Sawoe while the last section is handled by RCC.
“Let me say that this project was first awarded in 2012, later the last administration reviewed the
project to N879 billion under the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) tax credit scheme.
“The costs of the project is different from the commitment of NNPC because NNPC’s commitment was just N122 billion and so there was a funding gap of N775 billion and I don’t see where that money is coming from.
“So all I did when we came onboard was to keep the project but review the texture of the pavement, by allowing the existing carriageway to be asphalt and then reviewed the new carriage way to be concrete.’’
Umahi said that the ministry would mobilise the contractors after signing an addendum to collect 30 per cent fund to fast track the project amounting to N9 billion each.
He emphasized that the contractors would do an affidavit agreeing on the timing for completion of the project.
Earlier, Senator representing Edo North Senatorial District Adams Oshiomhole, said the Renewed Hope administration of Mr. President in changing the socio-economic narrative of the nation through aggressive road infrastructure transformation .
He also appreciated the minister works for his commitment in achieving the vision of Mr. President on road infrastructure development.
He said, ” I was shocked that within 72 hours this Minister did not only hear the word of the President, he packaged what I have seen from the Monday briefing to solve what a solving problem that four or five ministers before him could not solve”.
Meanwhile, Group Executive Director, BUA Group Kabiru Rabiu, expressed the company’s committed to supporting the administration of President Bola Tinubu to succeed.
He noted that “In Edo alone, BUA made an investment of over 2billion dollars with five lines of cement.
He said that the construction of the 30 kilometres road was also in favour of the group as well as the people of Edo.
“I want to give our commitment to take on the road project”.
