By: Mayen Etim
KADUNA, North-West, Nigeria – Contractors handling major infrastructural projects awarded by the administration of Mallam Nasir El-Rufai in Zaria and Sabon Gari Local Government Areas of Kaduna state have assured government of timely completion of quality projects.
Project Manager of Mother Cat, Ziad Karam, gave the assurance when a team of Journalists from Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Kaduna State Council embarked on a tour of projects executed by the El-Rufai-led administration in the Northern Senatorial Zone of the state on Tuesday, May 8, 2018.
Mother Cat, which is handling 50kilometres of roads with 20km in Sabon Gari LGA and 30km in Zaria LGA informed the team of Journalists that already, some have been completed, while others are at various stages of completion.
“We are handling two major projects in Zaria 30km and 20km Sabon Gari LGA, based on a retainership agreement with the State Government, whereby Mother Cat is paid monthly,” he said.
“Most of the roads being constructed by Mother Cat are already designed by the consultant, while it carries out the execution.
“We are in first phase of the project. We have completed only 5km. In some roads we have finished drainages, while some we have finished other aspects, because of major problems of compensation.
“For instance, in Zaria City, 12 out of the roads require compensation. And already the State Government is working on it, putting values on the property affected,” he disclosed.
Another construction firm, COEC Construction, handling the N1.5bn Koran Kigbo-Manchester Road, an inherited project from the previous administration, said that they have done 65 per cent of the job.
A management staff at the site, who identified himself as Mr.Chike, informed the team of Journalists that the job includes a 75metres bridge and road of 6.8km.
“COEC Construction commenced this project in 2014. And if the company gets more cash backing, it would waste no time in completing the project,” he said.
According to the tour guide, Engineer Zubairu Abubakar, the work on the Old Jos Road Zaria, from Federal College of Education (FCE), Zaria to Dakaci, a distance of about 3.5km, costing the state government N47m is still in progress.
Engr. Abubakar who is an Assistant Director in Kaduna State Ministry of Works, explained this when the team of journalists stopped over at the location.