FEC RE-AWARDS IBADAN ILORIN ROAD FOR N47.5BN

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) yesterday re-awarded the contract for the Ibadan-Ilorin Road section II at the sum of N47,504,138,344.20  as against N14.3 billion in 2003, blaming the additional cost on the high rising cost of materials, equipment and fuel.

In the same vein council reviewed the administration's seven-point agenda, applauding its achievements with specific mention of the amnesty programme.

The seven-point agenda comprises power and energy; food security and agriculture; wealth creation and employment; mass transportation; land reform; security; and qualitative and functional education. It was the plan of the President Umaru Yar'Adua's government since he assumed power in May 2007 until his death last month.

The contract for the Ibadan-Ilorin road section II Oyo-Ogbomosho was initially awarded in favour of Messrs P.W. Nigeria Ltd and Messrs RCC Nigeria Ltd as a joint venture in 2003 in the sum of N14.3 billion  with a completion period of 30 months.

According to the Minister of Information and Communications, Dora Akunyili in company with her counterparts in National Planning, Shamsudeen Usman and Works, Senator Sanusi Daggash, the project could not commence due to inadequate budgetary provisions during the contract period between 2003 and 2009.

'Owing to budgetary constraints, contract No.1793A (Ibadan-Ilorin Road section II: Oyo -Ogbomosho in Oyo State) had to be terminated in 2009 to pave the way for re-procurement of the contract. But now, there is a provision of N6,000,000,000.00 for the project in the 2010 appropriation Act.

'Therefore, council considered and approved the re-award of contract No.1793A for the Ibadan-Ilorin Section, Oyo-Ogbomosho in Oyo State in favour of Messrs RCC Nigeria Ltd in the sum of N47,504,138,344.20 with a completion period of 40 months.'

The minister of National Planning explained that the focus of the appraisal of the seven-point agenda was on implementation but that emphasis is now being placed on 'quality of life indicators.'

He explained this to mean 'by how much investments, allocations or expenditures have affected the quality of life of Nigerians,' and that such a method of assessment is used successfully in other developing countries like India and Malaysia.

The minister pointed out that; 'significant amount of success has been achieved, not just success in spending money but in things that you may not easily see with the eyes. For example, the amnesty programme that has brought peace to the Niger Delta and the country is so valuable but you can't readily quantify it.'