Emma Amaize and Simon Ebegbulem
10 May 2004
Benin — GOVERNORS of the six South-South states may soon meet with President Olusegun Obasanjo and the National Assembly to persuade them to approve and release enough money for Federal Government roads in the Niger Delta following complaints by contractors that lack of funds is jeopardising the early completion of the roads..
Works Minister, Chief Adeseye Ogunlewe, who stopped over in Benin City, weekend, in the course of his assessment tour of on-going Federal Government roads in the South-South, said he was not averse to the idea, saying pressure should be mounted on the National Assembly as the Federal Government would not release any money apart from that approved by the National Assembly.
It was learnt that Governors Lucky Igbinedion (Edo) and James Ibori (Delta) were worried about the delay in the completion of the Benin-Warri and Benin-Asaba roads and were mobilising other governors to form a common front. Edo State Deputy Governor, Chief Mike Oghiadomhe, who received the minister on behalf of Gov. Igbinedion said the South-South governors would do everything to ensure that adequate funds were released for the completion of the federal roads in the region.
Managing Director of Reynolds Construction Company (RCC), Engr. Rony Paluch, who was asked by the minister to explain when the Benin-Warri and Benin-Asaba dualisation projects would be completed, said it was up to government to release enough money for the projects.
He said: "We are facing serious financial problems with non-payment from the government. In fact, in the budget, only N400 million was allocated for these roads and the cost of doing Benin-Warri road is N600 million. Let me say that even if this project is being financed, it has not been fully paid for by the government. We in Reynolds Nigeria Limited decided to undertake it after getting promises from Mr. President to pay us when we complete the Benin-Asaba road but the burden is too heavy for us.
"In fact, the entire projects we are handling for the ministry are over N5.2 billion and it is because we are a big company and have international partners that support us financially that we are able to do these projects. I believe everybody can understand the situation in which we are. So, we are using this medium to appeal to Mr. President to help us for funds," he added.
Mr. Paluch said the company had held meetings with some state governors and "we want them to join hands to make sure that the funds are made available and we in the RCC are promising that we have the capability to work day and night to see that these projects are completed this year."
Chief Ogunlewe said: "I allowed the contractor to talk so that we can know their problems. On my side, I am just an executor, the people that are responsible for the provision of funds are the National Assembly. We have tried to persuade them that all these projects that are 70 per cent completed should be completed. That is our programme, but they did not give us enough funds to complete them. Probably, the governors of Edo and Delta States should meet with their members in the National Assembly and tell them. It is their responsibility and not mine.
"What have been provided this year is only N400 million for the RCC and our intention is to give the contractor the entire N400 million this month and appeal to the National Assembly for additional funds. The total N5.2 billion is for all the projects the RCC is handling for us. There are shortfalls because we have committed the government on so many road projects, we have 94 on-going projects that we cannot accommodate at the same time but we are taking them gradually. Those that are not completed this year will be completed next year.
"We have been given N157 billion, that is the amount spent on our on-going projects but the commitment is N352 billion. I want to mention this amount so that journalists won't go tomorrow and say it is N360 billion. The total cost of on-going projects is N352 billion but it is not that the Federal Government has given us this money, no, they have given us only N157 billion," he asserted.
Edo Deputy Governor, Chief Oghiadomhe, who received the minister, commended the Federal Government for its Operation 500 roads project, which was being executed by direct labour, saying: "I appreciate the job you (minister) have done so far by completing the Benin-Asaba road dualisation project up to Agbor. But, of course, you know for us to enjoy the complete benefit of that road, we have to complete the Agbor to Warri end of it."
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