The House of Representatives have resolved to investigate the procurement process of the Lagos -Calabar coastal high way.
The House also called on the Minister of Works, Minister of
Finance and the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice to
ensure that all guarantees and credit enhancement instruments for the
Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road Project are sent to the National Assembly for
approval.
The House also mandated it’s committees on Procurement and
Works to investigate the procurement
process of the contract for the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.
The motion titled “Urgent
need to Investigate the
procurement process and award of contract for the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway
was moved by Hon Austin
Achado(APC-Benue)during plenary in Abuja.
Moving the motion Achado noted there award of contract did
not follow due process and that it also did not get approval of the National
Assembly hence the need to thoroughly investigate the procurement process of
the contract.
Moving the motion Achado noted that the Federal Ministry of
Works has executed an ENGINEERING PROCUREMENT CONSTRUCTION AND FINANCE (EPC+F)
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.
He further noted that the laudable project with the prospect
of providing easy access for movement of goods and services across the nation,
has a financing structure, as announced by the Hon Minister of Works, which
requires the Federal Government to provide 15°o to 30°o co-financing, while the
private sector counterpart will provide the balance, and to toll the road when
completed for a minimum period of 15 years, to ensure full recovery of all
debts and equity applied for the delivery of the project.
The Lawmaker expressed concerns that the Procurement
Strategy may have violated the Public Procurement Act 2007, section 40(2) which
requires that where a procuring authority adopts to use Restrictive Tendering
Approach, it should be on the basis that the said goods and services are
available only from a limited number of Suppliers and Contractors and as such,
tenders Shall be invited from all such Contractors who can provide such goods and
services.
According to him, the Procurement Strategy adopted by the
Federal Ministry of Works for the award of the contract violates the
Infrastructure Concession and Regulatory Commission Act 2905, as Section 4 of
the Act outlines that all approved Infrastructure projects and contracts for Financing,
Construction and Maintenance must be advertised for Open Competitive Public
Bid, in at least three National dailies and Section 5 of the Act further
clarifies that any Direct Negotiations with only one Contractor could be
allowed, only after exhausting the provisions of section 4.
He worried that the Federal Ministry of Works in promoting
the project has provided a rate per kilometer for the planned works, but has
not provided the private partner’s financing sources, structure and
competitiveness, as this is likely to create contingent liabilities to the
Nigerian Government
“Disturbed that the Contingent Liabilities accruing to the
Federal Government of Nigeria on this project violate the Debt Management
Office (Establishment) Act of 2023, as Section 22(3) states that the Minister
shall not guarantee an external loan unless the terms and conditions of the
loan shall have been laid before the National Assembly and approved by its
resolution.
“The guarantees issued to cover the debt financing component
of this project do not have the approval of the National Assembly.
The House therefore requested it’s committees to report back
to the House within 4 weeks.
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