By Akinwale Kasali
Wizchino Engineering Limited, the Construction Company handling the Keffi-Nasarawa-Toto-Abaji road project in Nasarawa State has been slammed by the
Federal Government.
The Federal Government had expressed dissatisfaction with the quality of work being done by Engineering firm, lamenting the slow pace of the construction work despite releasing funds to the contractor to ensure smooth progress of the job till completion.
The Federal Controller of Works in the state, Ishaku Mamri, noted that despite several efforts to make the contractor work according to specifications, they were still not giving the needed cooperation.
Mamri further told Journalists that after an inspection visit to ongoing Federal Government roads across Nasarawa State, it noted that the Contractor was not working to specifications, and has become a clog in the wheel.
He added that the road construction agenda of the Federal Ministry of Works is to ensure that all roads constructed are durable enough to serve Nigerians for many years.
He said: “To be honest, this set of contractors, I’m disappointed in them. The work is not done the way it is supposed to be done. When I give them a letter on what to do, they will not do it; they will do what they feel like doing. And I told them that this is not a banana republic.
“This is not our specifications. The ministry has laid down procedures for getting our work done, so you can’t do it anyhow. I had to explain the matter to my Director, that I don’t like the way they are doing this. We invited them for a meeting at the headquarters where they agreed that they were going to improve. But on coming back here, I have not seen any changes.”
Salihu Alkali, Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Nasarawa State Council, called on the Minister of Works, David Umahi, to revoke the contract awarded to Wizchino Engineering Limited over poor quality of work, slow pace of work, and substandard equipment, among others.
Alkali further expressed his displeasure over the slow pace of work and unprofessional handling of the road construction, urging the FG to revoke the contract in the shortest possible time and re-award it to a more competent contractor.
“This is a disservice to Nasarawa State and the Federal Government. Can you imagine using watering cans to pour bitumen on the road? Government spending should be accounted for,” he said.
In the same vein, Nasarawa State Commissioner for Works, Housing and Transport, Mu’azu Adamu Gosho, said the road is of particular interest to the government and the people of Nasarawa State, noting that they are eager to witness its completion in record time.
He, however, frowned at the slow pace of work and other factors which indicate that the construction is not being done according to specifications.
It would be recalled that the Federal Ministry of Works has pledged to complete the ongoing 15-kilometre Lafia bypass stretching to Makurdi, which leads to the south-eastern region of the country, and lauded the speedy pace of the work and its quality.
The government believes that the road would ease chronic traffic congestion through the Lafia metropolis.
Mamri further disclosed that the the road project, which was initially awarded with a completion period of 48 months, is already at 92.6 per cent completion, noting that it would be ready for commuters by the end of March 2026.
He stressed that the project had undergone a series of engineering integrity assessments by professional regulatory institutions, and commended the Minister of Works, David Umahi, for his commitment to quality and speedy completion of ongoing works across the nation.
