Poor Performance: Reps May Blacklist Construction Firms

ABUJA, June 23, (THEWILL) - Disturbed by several abandoned highway projects, the House of Representatives Committee on Works today threatened to blacklist road contractors in the country who are culpable.

Chairman of the Works Committee of the House of Representatives Hon. Chukwuma On, read the riot Act at parley with officials of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA).

"We cannot continue to condone the abandonment of road projects in the East and other parts of the Country. If this continues, we will not hesitate to ask the Speaker of the House to write a letter to blacklist any company that is found wanting", he said.

"If you go around the Country, roads are terrible, and every year money is appropriated for these roads", he said.

The road construction projects allegedly abandoned by contractors are the Obajana-Kabbba Road in Kogi State, Special Repairs and the Pavement Strengthening Overlay of 9th Mile Corner-Obollo-Afor-Otukpa Road.

Engr. Kabir Muhammed, Managing Director of FERMA, informed the Committee that most of the contracts were either "terminated" or abandoned prior to his assumption of　office in 2009, but were sent for consideration in the 2010 budget.

Others, according to him are: Special Repairs and Pavement Strengthening (Overlay) of Aliade-Makurdi-Lafia, Tegina Birnin-Gwari Mokwa-Bina, Biu-Damboa-Maiduguri, Gombe-Postikum Roads.