Major contractors handling federal government projects in five oil producing states of the Niger Delta and another non-oil bearing state in the South East, have abandoned their projects because of rising cases of insecurity and youth restiveness in the areas.
The contractors include Setraco Nigeria Limited whose contract is valued at N64.1bn; Julius Berger Nigeria Limited with a cumulative project value of N108.4bn; RCC Nigeria Limited, which was handling a N43.5bn project before it started having security concerns and Gitto Nigeria Limited that was saddled with a N50.04bn job in the area.
Before they left their project sites, the construction firms were handling projects in Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Anambra and Imo States.
In a memo to the president with reference number: WR. 14505/V.1/216 and dated July 9, the Federal Ministry of Works drew the attention of Yar�Adua to the growing cases of insecurity in the Niger Delta states and Anambra State in which it expressed regret that following the growing criminal activities and youth restiveness in both areas, its major road construction projects have been in jeopardy.
The affected projects are the dualisation of east-west section 1 (Warri-Kaiama) Delta State awarded to Setraco for N64.1bn; dualisation of east west road section 2 (Kaiama � Port Harcourt) being handled by Julius Berger for N79bn; dualisation of east west road section 3 (Onne junction � Eket) awarded to RCC for N35bn; and dualisation of east west road section 4 (Eket � Oron) given to Gitto for the sum of N26bn.
The others are construction of Eleme junction fly-over and dualisation of access road to Onne Port being handled by Julius Berger for N7.2bn; construction of Bodo � Bonny road with bridge awarded to Gitto for N24bn; completion of outstanding works on dualisation of Warri � Benin road, section 1 and 2 by RCC for the sum of N7.9bn; rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt International Airport at the cost of N3bn by Julius Berger and dualisation of Owerri-Onitsha road, section 3 also by Julius Berger at the cost of N19.4bn
In the memo, which was signed by the ministry�s permanent secretary, Nu�uman Barau Danbatta, the agency lamented that: �The contractors on these projects have experienced frequent kidnapping of their staff and vandalisation of their equipment by the militants. The contractors, have kept updating the ministry about the situation which has resulted in the withdrawal of their workers from the various sites.�
Danbatta in the memo, therefore, pleaded with Yar�Adua to among other things, �direct the governors of Bayelsa, Rivers, Delta, Akwa Ibom, Anambra and Imo States to, as an immediate measure and in order to encourage the contractors to re-mobilise to sites, initiate action through dialogue to restore security of lives and property in the affected areas.�
Similar memo complaining about how the level of insecurity in the Niger Delta states had prevent construction companies from making progress on the dualisation of the Warri-Kaiama in Delta State was last May prepared by former minister of works, Chief Cornelius Adebayo being handled by Setraco Nigeria Limited for the attention of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Jul152007