📰Works Minister, Fashola, in N166 billion contract mess

Nigeria's Works Minister, Babatunde Fashola is currently being queried by the Bureau of Public Procurement, BPP, over the award of 10 road and bridge contracts worth N166bn.
The BPP said Fashola and his ministry violated the laws guiding contract awards in Nigeria in the manner they selected contractors for the projects. The agency is asking Mr. Fashola to explain, among other things, why the costs of some of the projects were inflated and why some were awarded to unqualified firms.

The construction of the roads and bridges, spread across the country, were appropriated for in the ministry’s 2016 budget.

• The projects are the rehabilitation of Numan-Jalingo Road awarded to Deux Projects Ltd for N11.7 billion;
• replacement of substandard bridges along Gusau-Sokoto Road awarded to Triacta Nig. Ltd (N1.01 billion);
• construction of Ojutu Bridge in Ilobu, Osun State awarded to Halicass Integrated Ltd (N522.2 million);
• construction of Ohan-Moro Bridge on Ilorin-Igbeti Road awarded to Bonus Nig. Ltd (N942.6 million);
• rehabilitation of Abuja-Kaduna Road awarded to CGC Nig. Ltd (N26.9 billion).
• rehabilitation of Kaduna-Zaria Road in Katsina State awarded to Arab Contractors Nig. Ltd for N14.8 billon;
• rehabilitation of Zaria-Kano Road in Kaduna/Kano State awarded to Reynold Construction Nig. Ltd (N69.9 billion);
• construction of Burga-Dull-Mbatill-TadnumGpbiya-Badagari-Gwaranga-Sum, Bauchi State awarded to Rahama Civil Works Nig. Ltd (N10.9 billion).