The Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) has approved Messrs Infouest Nigeria Limited as the preferred successful bidder of the rescoped section 1 of Abuja-Kaduna- Kano road for the sum of N252.89 billion.
Minister of Works, David Umahi disclosed this yesterday while on an inspection tour of the road with Minister of Information Mohammed Idris.
He also expressed hope that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) will at the next sitting approve the contract.
Umahi said: ” No Objection” by BPP is to be presented to FEC while the federal government shall endeavour to complete the project in 12 months from the date of award and is to be funded by Renewed Hope Infrastructure Fund.
Disclosing that six contractors, including Julius Berger were invited to tender for the project, he added that 38 km (dual) of the rescoped Section 1 ceded to Dangote Nigeria Ltd and 17.32km ceded to BUA Nigeria under the tax credit scheme were not approved by FEC.
“These were eventually agreed to be executed under normal contract. The two sections were merged into one as New Section 1. This scope was further increased by 10.6km at the Kano axis to reach Aminu Kano International Airport, at CH+00 byb5 km towards Kogi State (total 119 km) and also a full solar light installation to prepare the entire road for operation and maintenance concessioning,” Umahi said.
He said that while Julius Berger was invited for a selective tendering process, the contractor declined to submit a bid.
On section two, which was originally awarded to Julius Berger to complete at the cost of N349 billion, the minister added that having terminated the project and having got BPP approval for selective tendering, six contractors have also been invited to bid.
The scope is to complete the164 km section from Kaduna within 14 months with concrete pavement.
In his remarks, Idris faulted the insinuation that the Abuja-Kaduna- Kano road had been abandoned by the President or that the Minister of Works was not interested in constructing the road. He called for support to ensure the completion of the work in a timely and efficient manner.
The federal government terminated the original contract awarded in 2017 to Julius Berger at the original contract sum of N155 billion and reviewed it to N797 billion, following due process and opened for tendering to allow other contractors to bid together.
By Olawale Ajimotokan @ThisDay
