CEM REPORT | The Federal Government of Nigeria has declared a provision of N3 billion Sukuk fund to finance the Numan- Jalingo Road in Adamawa and Taraba states.
Minister of State for Works and Housing, Muazu Sambo, stated this during an inspection of federal road projects within Taraba and Adamawa states on Saturday adding that on accesment of the Sukuk fund, remarkable progress would be experienced on the road.
The minister further added that the contractor shouldn’t be blamed for the slow pace of work adding that the delay was due to insufficient budgetary provision in the past and COVID-19 pandemic that affected the progress of work.
“The section of the road that is not motorable is not acceptable for the road is the only connection between the North and South on the North Eastern axis of the country,”
“The 103 kilometre Numan- Jalingo road is part of the Maiduguri –Calabar Highway.
However, he said with the current improved funding, the contractor was expected to service its equipment and be more serious on the construction work adding that if the company was found to be incapable to complete the job, government would not hesitate to terminate the contract and re-award it to a competent one.
The Project Engineer of Deux Project Limited, the contractor for the Numan-Jalingo project, Frank Koshihuk who spoke on behalf of the contractor, said inflation, funding , insecurity were the major challenges on the construction work.
He assured that as soon as the funding is improved, the road would be completed within 8 months .
NAN report that Numan-Jalingo road rehabilitation was awarded to Deux Project Nigeria Ltd at the cost of N11.6bn in March 2017 to be completed in July 2019.
The Federal Government has released N1.5bn to the contractor who has executed seven per cent of the work.
The Minister also inspected the construction of Zing –Yakoko-Monkin Road in Taraba.
