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The Federal Government has issued a fresh deadline of September 2025 to Julius Berger – the contractor handling the N280 billion Bodo-Bonny Road currently under construction in Rivers State to complete the project.
This came as President Bola Tinubu approved the fixed contract sum to Julius Berger after it was reviewed upwards to facilitate the road’s early completion.
The Minister of Works, David Umahi, disclosed this during an inspection of ongoing federal road projects in the state on Monday.
Umahi said the approval was given after negotiations with the contractor who insisted on the said sum to enable it complete the job and urged the company to ensure it adhered to the project specification.
He stated, “And let me say that we have given Julius Berger what they want in terms of the money they are looking for. We negotiated for one year, but Berger refused to shift ground. So, we have to allow you the total amount of money you are looking for and so we have given you the award letter. So, you have to go and sign the addendum.
“The President and the Federal Executive Council approved your request, so the project is now to a fixed contract sum of N280 billion. This is the request of Berger and Mr President has done the request of Berger. So, Berger has to at least mobilise in at least three locations to get this job completed.”
To this end, the minister said he would return for two more inspections before 2024 runs out to monitor the work being done to ensure the contractor honours the agreement.
He stated, “We are giving a deadline of September 2025; that is the deadline that this job should be finished. So, I will like the directives I have given in terms of filling with sharp sand to design level, and movement across.
“So, please, remobilise in at least three locations for effective work — that is the agreement. I’ll be here again by the end of October and finally, I’ll come in November to see that our agreement is working.
“Let me say that Mr President is very much interested in the early completion of this road and he has directed that the National Security Adviser and the Chief Executive Officer of the NNPCL should do a meeting with me and the contractor, which we have done the first meeting.”
Umahi also commended the contractors for the work done so far, guaranteeing the Rivers people that the road, when completed, has a life span 50-100 years without requiring maintenance or reconstruction.
