Minister of Works, Mr. David Umahi, has set up six committees to review debts totaling N1.5 trillion in unpaid certificates for road projects executed, as well as contract variation claims before and since May 29, 2023.
Each of the six geo-political zones is to be served by one committee.
The panels are saddled with the responsibility of reviewing all debts of unpaid certified certificates generated within the period.
They are also to review the approved and unapproved variation of prices and all augmentations that were approved or yet to be approved and make recommendations to the ministry's management. In A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Orji Uchenna Orji, in Abuja, he explained that he exposed these debts and all reviews in the ministry to Mr. President's economic team and also to the Federal Executive Committee on road sector funding.
The statement, said: ''It is believed that the internal works through these constituted committees will help them to use external consultants to reverify the works so that concrete decisions will be made to move the ministry forward.
''Contractors who are owed are requested to approach these committees with all documents to back up their claims from December 12, 2023, to December 22, 2023. from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., at the Minister's Conference Room, 1st floor, Federal Ministry of Works, Headquarters, Mabushi Abuja.''
He explained that Directors in the Ministry held an in-house budget defence with the minister preparatory to appearing before the Joint Committees of National Assembly slated for Monday.
According to him, at the meeting, the minister expressed gratitude to the acting Permanent Secretary and all the Heads of Departments, who handled the ministry's budget for their commitment to the appraisal of the 2023 budget and the preparation of the 2024 budget proposal.
He quoted the mininster as noting that the road sector needed a different kind of attention beyond the 2024 budget envelope received by the ministry.
He said: ''For a developing nation like Nigeria, road sector development is a catalyst for economic development.''
