The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved an additional N1.6 billion as augmentation amount for the Manyam-Ushongo-Lessel-Kartyo-Oju-Agila road project in Benue State.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, disclosed this to State House correspondents after the FEC meeting chaired by the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, on Wednesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Mr. Mohammed said the initial cost of the project was N1.35 billion which was revised to N2.9 billion.
“The Minister of Works and Housing presented one of the memos which is the approval for the revision of the total cost of the rehabilitation contract for the construction of Manyam-Ushongo-Lessel-Kartyo-Oju-Agila in Benue State.
“The contract for this road was actually awarded for the first time in 2012; because whatever, it’s still not over; and of course, if the contract is awarded in 2012, 10 years later, you expect the contractor to ask for an augmentation. And that’s what happened today, it was approved.
“The original contract is N1.35 billion now plus an additional N1.6 billion; making a total of N2.9 billion,” he said.
He said the second memo approved for the ministry was related to the Mabuchi headquarters of the Ministry of Works and Housing.
According to him, the headquarters of the ministry does not depend or rely on the national electricity because it depends on the solar network.
“And today’s memo is to request approval for the estimated total cost of the contract for the design and installation of solar power plus the micro grid system and energy litrofitting from the ministry.
“Sometime in March 2019, a contract was awarded for the supply of solar power that will power the entire ministry; it was awarded at a cost of about N2.7 billion.
“Currently, they are seeking to add N309 million to bring the total cost to N3 billion.
“The reason for the increase is because in the process of executing the project, certain works that were not anticipated before had to be considered.
“And in addition, this augmentation also includes an installation maintenance contract.”
Mr. Mohammed said it is important to note that the federal government is creating different sources of energy.
“And this is clean energy and the minister throws an invitation to any ministry that wants to go solar that will advise them,” he said.
(IN)
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