Minister of Works, David Umahi, has issued a seven-day ultimatum to Julius Berger to accept the Federal Government’s offer of N740.79 billion for completing the 82km section II of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano road or risk having the contract terminated.
In a statement released on Wednesday by Orji Uchenna, Special Adviser (Media) to the Minister of Works, the visit of Julius Berger’s executives was primarily to introduce the company’s new Managing Director to the Minister. This meeting comes after Minister David Umahi’s previous warning to revoke the contract, which had been awarded to Julius Berger in 2018 under former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
Umahi expressed frustration over delays and inflated costs, insisting the project must move forward or be reassigned.
The ultimatum follows previous warnings, with Umahi highlighting that while sections of the road have been completed, like the Kaduna-Zaria section and the Zaria-Kano section is near completion, the Abuja-Kaduna portion lags significantly behind, with only 27% progress in six years. The Minister accused Julius Berger of politicizing the project, further driving up costs and delaying much-needed infrastructure.
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The visit by the newly appointed Managing Director of Julius Berger, Dr. Pier Lubasch, alongside his predecessor Dr. Lars Richter, sought to introduce the new leadership. However, Umahi used the meeting to stress the urgency of the project, emphasizing that the delays are harming road users and negatively impacting the government’s reputation. “This offer is not subject to any conditions,” he said.
“If negotiations have dragged on for 14 months with no resolution, it’s time to end the discussion. A businessperson knows that negotiations must eventually conclude.
“Several Berger projects have already been terminated due to site abandonment, and we must act because Nigerians are suffering and blaming the President. We cannot let this continue. If Julius Berger cannot meet our demands, we will find other contractors who can,” Umahi warned.
The new Managing Director assured Umahi of a swift response to the ultimatum, aiming for an amicable resolution to avoid further delays.
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