Nigeria’s Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, has terminated the contract awarded to Raycon Ltd. for the construction of a 9.7 km stretch of the Calabar–Itu highway.
Umahi disclosed this in a statement issued by Mohammed Ahmed, the Director of Press and Public Relations of the ministry, after a working visit to the project.
The statement noted that the minister expressed serious concern over the slow progress by one of the contractors, Messrs. Raycon and Company (Nigeria) Limited, on a 9.7-kilometre section.
The Minister did not accept the contractor’s claim of not receiving mobilisation funds, hence the termination of the contract while he directed the Federal Controller of Works in Akwa Ibom to issue a stop-work order.
The statement revealed that Umahi instructed a detailed assessment of the work completed to facilitate payment and ordered Hitech Africa Construction Company to take over the project on an emergency procurement basis.
Umahi also visited Sections 3A and 3B of the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway in Akwa Ibom and Cross River States.
He lauded the contractor for maintaining quality standards, utilising advanced equipment, and employing skilled workers.
Recall that the sections of the Calabar–Itu road have been in a very deplorable state and have caused commuters a lot of discomfort.
