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Lagos-Ibadan Expressway Rehabilitation Contract Details Still Shrouded in Mystery

By on November 22, 2012

Road

Over 72 hours since the Julius Berger Plc and RCC Nigeria Limited were given the job for the for the rehabilitation of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway however, there are no details of the new contract, no amount stated, no duration or MOU.

The Federal Government had on Tuesday terminated its contract with Bi-Courtney for the rehabilitation of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, accusing the firm of breaching the contract.

The Federal Government had immediately announced Julius Berger and RCC as new hires for the job.

The Federal Government said Julius Berger would handle the section from Lagos to the Shagamu interchange while RCC would handle the section from the interchange to Ibadan.

However, a source at the Ministry of works said the new contract was an ad-hoc arrangement and the FG is still working the details, the cost, scope, and outline.

He said, “It is an emergency work. Government did not plan for it. The contractual terms and completion details are to be worked out later.

“Usually, before arriving at contract sums, the parties will first determine the cost of the materials and equipment to be used. In this instance, that has not been done.”

When the Federal Government contracted Bi-Courtney for the job, they were to ensure free flow of traffic, provide associated facilities for the security and welfare of road users, provide two additional lanes in each direction between Lagos and the Shagamu interchange, making it four lanes

The Minister of Works, Mr. Mike Onolememen, said the firm failed to achieve the target set for it by the agreement when giving reasons for terminating the contract.

“Under this concession, the construction period is supposed to last for four years, and the four years will come to a close in about six months time, and right now there is nothing on ground to suggest that the company is capable,” Onolememen said.

The minister said that the Federal Government decided to embark on the emergency reconstruction of the road “due to the senseless carnage on this important expressway.”

The government contracted Bi-Courtney, owned by Dr. Wale Babalakin (SAN), to rehabilitate the 105-kilometre road on May 26, 2009, based on renovate, expand, modernise, maintain for a period of 25 years and hand over.