By Ghazali Ibrahim
Former Senator representing Ekiti Central and Former President Bubari ex-aide, Babafemi Ojudu, has challenged the Minister of Works, David Umahi, to explain the fate of the ₦95.98 billion Akure-Ado-Ekiti dual carriageway project.
Ojudu raised concerns over the apparent abandonment of the project, saying a road approved and funded as a dual carriageway now appears to have resulted in only one rehabilitated carriageway.
In a statement posted on his verified social media account, the former senator said residents of Ondo and Ekiti states had initially welcomed the project after contractors mobilised to site, cleared the route for the second carriageway and commenced work on bridges and other structures.
He, however, said construction activity had now slowed, with heavy equipment reportedly disappearing from the site.
Ojudu recalled that the original contract, valued at about ₦30 billion, was awarded to Dantata & Sawoe in November 2019 but was later cancelled.
He said the Federal Executive Council subsequently approved the re-award of the project on March 29, 2023, as a 50-kilometre dualisation project for approximately ₦95.98 billion.
According to him, the Akure-Ondo State boundary section was awarded to Samchase Nigeria Limited and Horizon Construction Company Limited for ₦46.68 billion, while the section from the Ekiti boundary towards Ado-Ekiti was awarded to Kopek Construction Limited for ₦49.29 billion.
Ojudu challenged Umahi to clarify whether the original contract for a dual carriageway had been revised to a single carriageway.
“If so, who authorised the change, when was it approved, and why were the people not informed?” he asked.
He also demanded to know whether the contract sum had been reviewed and how much had been released to each contractor.
The former senator questioned why bridges and other structures were constructed to accommodate a second carriageway if only one carriageway was ultimately intended to be delivered.
He further asked whether the contractors had formally withdrawn from the site or whether the disappearance of their equipment was temporary.
Ojudu also challenged the minister to disclose the percentage of the project completed and when work on the second carriageway would resume.
He urged the Federal Government to state clearly whether it still intends to deliver the dual carriageway for which nearly ₦96 billion was approved.
According to Ojudu, the people of Ondo and Ekiti states deserve to know what was awarded, what has been paid for, what has been delivered and what happened to the remainder of the project.
