Minister Sets Up Road Concession Implementation C’mttees, Approves CCTV Cameras
By ABAH SUNDAY, Abuja
Nigeria’s Minister of Works Sen. David Umahi on Tuesday Inaugurated three three committees to fast-track the implementation of the Highway Development and Management Initiative (HDMI), a project the ministry is doing with the guidance of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), a statement by his media aide, Barr. Orji Uchenna Orji, has said.
The programme which is a Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement in the construction, operations and maintenance of highways, is so designed that the emergent concessionaires will recoup their investments through toll and non- toll revenues as may be negotiated.
Speaking during the inauguration, the Minister charged the committees to work effectively and concertedly, bearing in mind the expectations of Nigerians in terms of transparency, standard, and efficiency in contract negotiations.
He noted that though contract with some concessionaires had been consumated, the current economic dynamics and the new policy direction of the present administration necesitated a review of the scope of work and cost implication, charging the concessionaires to abide by the criteria set and the time line for the projects.
“We own the design, you will own the cost of the projects while we carry out verification on the cost. The idea is to scope the projects. We want to have a standard road infrastructure to toll.
“Our business is to ensure that your design conforms with the ministry’s standard of design, that is why we are making the director of Roads and Bridges of the ministry to be the Chairman of the committee on Scoping and Design.
“We don’t want to do just a patch on the road and give it to the public for you to toll. The public will resist. We want to have a standard road to toll,” Umahi said.
Speaking further, the Minister said, “We have to provide alternative roads because by law you cannot toll a road if there is no alternative route to it . It is very important that every projects must have alternative routes.
“The number of toll gates and toll stations will be determined by Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission ( ICRC). We also have to put CCTV camera , solar light, and security on our roads. Whatever will make our roads safer is very important to us. All these must be considered as part of the business.”
The three committees set up by the Minister for the actualization of the HDMI are: Scoping and Design; Financial Due Diligence; and Agreement Review.
While constituting the Due Diligence Committee, the Minister said, “We must have a figure to begin to work with under Due Diligence committee. We want to hand over all these sites to people who are serious by the end of March 2024. Enough of these meetings, enough of the bureaucracy.“
Sen. Umahi said of the Agreement commitee, “I have given a template on how to review agreement and I think the Legal Department of the ministry can do this on their own.“
Telling the concessionaires of the consequence of not meeting up with the rules of engagement, he said, “I must say that in case timelines were set and any company can not meet up, we may not continue processing anything with such company.”
Speaking further on the cost, the former Abia State Governor said, “In all our biddings in 2024 going forward , every cost element must be disaggregated. The procurement law has set up profit for the contractors. We will verify the cost in respect of concessionaires. We have to ensure that the cost you are putting will do the job. We don’t want you to engage and come back and say there is inflation after being engaged on the project . We have to ensure that concessionaires have all what it takes to do the job.
“The ministry and Concessionaires must ensure that they are on the same page so that the citizens will not suffer. Patriotism demands that we must not allow citizens to suffer. We have to be realistic and honest. We don’t have all the money as a government to do these jobs.”
The Minister however, expressed happiness for the progress made by 9 concessionaires in finalising their designs and documentation to achieve a financial close by the first quarter of 2024, charging them to diligently work with the ministry’s committees for the final processes.
Speaking earlier on behalf of the Permanent Secretary at the event, the Director Highways and Bridges, Engr Awosanya Onatuga said directors and the concessionaires were ready to work concertedly to move the HMDI project forward.