Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has expressed doubts in the possibility of completing the Apo-Karshi road projects before the April, 2025, delivery date promised by the contractor.
The 13-kilometre road project which was awarded in 2011 by the Bala Muhammad administration, suffered several setbacks despite 86percent of the contract value paid by the FCT Administration.
However, while on an inspection tour to the site in July this year, the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, was able to extract commitment from the contractor to have the project completed in six months.
The delivery date for the project has however been reviewed from December 2024, to April 2025, due to some delay in procurement processes.
Wike, after inspecting the project on Thursday, said though the procurement issues have been resolved and the contractor mobilised to site, he expressed doubt on the possibility of meeting the April deadline.
In the minister’s words, “I still have my doubts. I will not lie to you. But they are still insisting that by April they would have completed this project. It is a project that is very dear to us. We know the importance of this road, so many people are eager to see that this project is completed on time, so that it will ease off alot of traffic and then so, it will boost the economic of this area. Let us give them the benefit of doubts.
“I believe that they will play their own part by doing what they are suppose to do. The funds are there to be given to them, and we believe that if they put more efforts, if I come here again and see that they have improved on what we have seen on group today, I will tell the treasury department to release further funds to them. But for now, let’s watch them. But we are very serious with this project.”
On whether he is considering revoking the contract, the minister said, “So many people don’t understand that when you cancel project, they’re a lot of implications for it. There are financial implications, there are legal implications, and so many things.
“So what we are saying is that, we would continue to encourage the contractor to see that he’s finishes this project on time because we are ready and we will not have any problems from our own side. That’s why from time to time, I will come here ,to see that this project is completed on time.”
