Joel Osaigbovo Aluge, Reporting, Benin City
The House of Representatives on Thursday, May 9, asked the Minister of Finance and the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice to furnish the National Assembly all guarantees and credit enhancement instruments for the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road Project for approval.
The House also resolved to investigate the procurement and award process of the multi billion Lagos to Calabar coastal highway.
In a resolution following a motion of urgent public importance by Hon. Austin Achado (APC, Benue), the House also asked the Ministry of Works to furnish the National Assembly with details of the procurement processes leading to the award of the contract
There have been series of controversies surrounding the award of the contract to Hitech construction for the over 700 kilometers road whose construction is expected tobe completed in five years.
Achado informed the House that the procurement process did not follow due process, adding that funding for the project was also not approved by the National Assembly.
Achado said the Federal Ministry of Works has executed an engineering procurement construction and finance contract in favour of Hitech Construction Company Nigeria Limited, for the delivery of the 700km Lagos to Calabar Coastal Road and Rail Project estimated at a rate of N4.329 Billion Naira per kilometer, using reinforced concrete technology for a carriage width of 59.7metres, to include 10 lanes, shoulders and rail with additional designs of service ducts, street lights, drainages and shore protection.