FG, MTN to deliver Enugu-Onitsha expressway by May

The Federal Government and MTN have met to strike a deal on the quality and speedy delivery of the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway project under the Tax Credit Scheme, aimed at completing it by May 2025 for commissioning.

Speaking at the meeting in Abuja, the Minister of Works, David Umahi, reiterated the government’s unwavering commitment to ensuring that the contractor and MTN handling the project execute it in accordance with the procedure contained in the contract.

Umahi also urged MTN and RCC Company Nig. Ltd. to address the slow funding and execution of the expressway, saying they would be held responsible should the road fail after construction due to a substandard job by the contractor.

He said, “There will be no variation or variation on price on the project, and RCC must note that going forward, the operation of VOP in their projects must be in line with the procedure contained in the Conditions of Contract and not at the whims and caprices of the contractor.”

The Works Minister further called on MTN not to sacrifice their responsibility of funding the project at the altar of the company’s business profit, as this would wittingly or unwittingly inhibit speedy delivery and, in turn, affect public perception of the government’s commitment to ensuring the logical completion of the project.

According to him, the construction of the Enugu-Onitsha dual carriageway must be completed by May 2025, and there must be a commitment in writing between MTN and the ministry that the offer is predicated on the conditions herein set out, as the more the job delays, the more there is variation.

He wondered why an official of MTN could go out of his way to insinuate that the directive made by the ministry for RCC Ltd. to stop using materials that could derail the quality outcome of the job amounted to sabotage of the projects of Mr President in the South East.

Umahi, therefore, decried as unacceptable a situation where RCC could do a job of N38 billion and demand a VOP of N14 billion, saying that such indulgence by contractors in the name of inflation would not be tolerated going forward.

He, however, used the medium to call on cement manufacturers, a key element in the construction industry, especially regarding the use of Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavement, to reduce the cost of cement to N7,000, as the price of the dollar has drastically reduced and the cost of petrol is coming down.

On his part, the Minister of State for Works, Mohammad B. Goronyo, explained, “We have to put the records straight that the ministry has the responsibility to ensure the quality delivery of work by contractors, and the contractor in this case is MTN.”

He recounted the various inspection visits they made to contractors’ project sites and how these had caused them to brace up to ensure quality and speed in project delivery.

The Permanent Secretary, Engr. O.O. Adebiyi, extolled their stance on the policies that would not only fast-track job execution but also guarantee value for money, urging the contractor to cooperate with the new paradigm under the Renewed Hope administration and work towards delivering the Enugu-Onitsha dual carriageway in record time.