Borini Prono Construction limited has revealed that the non-payment of outstanding debts being owed by the Federal Government for works done so far is responsible for the delay in the completion of the Lagos port end of Apapa-Oshodi expressway.
A director in the construction firm; Mr. Nastari Claudio disclosed this at a joint inspection of the road rehabilitation contract by two ministers, namely: the minister of transport; Senator Idris Umar and Minister of state for works, Alhaji Pateh Alli in Lagos yesterday.
Borini Prono Construction limited has revealed that the non-payment of outstanding debts being owed by the Federal Government for works done so far is responsible for the delay in the completion of the Lagos port end of Apapa-Oshodi expressway.
A director in the construction firm; Mr. Nastari Claudio disclosed this at a joint inspection of the road rehabilitation contract by two ministers, namely: the minister of transport; Senator Idris Umar and Minister of state for works, Alhaji Pateh Alli in Lagos yesterday.
According to him, provision of funds will accelerate the completion of the dilapidated portion of road even as he lamented that a total of outstanding N1.6 billion is yet to be paid by the government.
Claudio told the ministers who were accompanied by the Senior Special Adviser to the President on Project Monitoring and Evaluation, Professor Sylvester Monye that paucity of fund is responsible for the delay in the project which is meant to be completed within 18 months.
‘’We are asking for the provision of enough funds in order to speed the pace of work at the site ,though we are working, but of course fund is an issue’’, he told the ministers .
‘’The project would have been completed in May 2013, but we cannot achieve this date because of lack of payment and it is very difficult to complete the project at the end of May 2013, we have N1.6 billion outstanding which has represented 30 per cent of the work we have realised so far, therefore to complete the road will be very difficult’’. Claudio lamented.
On her part, another staff, Engineer Mrs Osareme Osakwe said that lack of funds has also contributed to the delay, even as she disclosed that the contract has not been abandoned.
She said that some portions of the road will undergo patches, adding that drainage work is still ongoing.
But in his reaction, the Minister of state for works assured the construction firm that funds will be available by next week.
He called on the construction company to ensure that the road is completed before the end of May 2013, even as he stressed the visit was yielded result.
However, while fielding questions from journalists, the Minister of Transport; Senator Idris Umar said the joint inspection was upon directive of the President because of his concern on the need to ensure that the Apapa-Oshodi expressway is completed.
Meanwhile Senior Special Adviser to the President on Project Monitoring and Evaluation Professor Sylvester Monye said that efforts have been made to clear the roads leading to the port, even as he added that it has deteriorated.
According to him,’’ what we saw at Apapa is an eyesore and this will strengthen Mr President to clear the road and also fix it. But what we are seeing now is the final phase of the clearing-up operation, we also have very good discussion with the Lagos state government about what to do with the ‘setbacks’ and if you look at the ‘setbacks’ regardless of what we do on the road, if we do not tidy up the ‘setbacks’, then it will remain untidy ‘’.
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