Abuja light rail project to gulp N357.6b
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08/04/2011 01:21:00
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Abuja
AN estimated N357.6 billion ($235 billion) may be required this year to fast-track the Abuja light rail project, expected to be completed by 2013, the contractor, Chinese Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) has said.
The FCT Minister, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed had earlier expressed fear over fund paucity which, he said, may stall the multi-billion Naira light rail project due to a cut in the 2011 FCT fiscal budget.
CCECC Project Manager, Chang Weijin, who conducted members of the Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE), on a facility visit round the various project sites, said funding had been the major snag delaying work on the project.
“Since February last year till now, this project has no budget, so we are suffering from the budget issue and another one is the issue of compensation by the resettlement department. They cannot complete the demolition or clear the site.
“Up to date, the total expenditure on the project is $213.8 million, while our total budget requirement for 2011, from the 1st to the 4th quarter, is $235,299, 534.”
A break-down of the total figure showed that $99.4 billion would be required for the 1st quarter, $45.1 billion for the 2nd quarter, while $38.1 billion is needed in the 3rd quarter and $61.9 in the 4th quarter.
It was gathered at the weekend that as at June 30, 2010, a total of $148, 860, 23.6, taxes inclusive, was paid to the company by the FCT administration.
However, the project manager disclosed that, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) owes the company an outstanding payment of $145 million, which had been due for payment.
He further disclosed that, aside the $145 million, a total of N2 billion is outstanding for compensation to owners of plots affected by the project.
“Apart from the outstanding payment, the outstanding compensation payment for lot 1 & 3 is N2 billion for us to be able to clear and continue with the project. We also have the issue of affected embassy plots, like EU Embassy, UN, NNPC mega station etc. these kinds of obstacles, have not been removed, so, we cannot move so fast,” he said.
According to him, the company is currently focusing on Ring road 2, the National Stadium station and will continue from Ring road 2 to Idu and Kubwa, after which it would move to the airport.
Meanwhile, a Deputy Director in FCT Transport Secretariat, Engr. Alex Ezumah revealed that, due to paucity of fund, which has been a major setback in the project, the administration is considering the Public Private Partnership (PPP) option for other phases of the project.
“From the onset it has been a government funding, but as the budget progress it was very evident that government cannot fund this completely, so, PPP options are being considered. The private sector will be invited, but the problem with this one is that it has progressed.
“Nobody wants to come and fund a project that had already started, so the new ones that, are about to commence, will go on PPP this year. Lot 2 will be awarded this year, also lot 4, 5 & 6, which is still under feasibility study and the project design, will be carried out this year and given out on PPP,” he explained.
It was learnt that, the Idu Training Centre has reached 100 per cent completion and the Comprehensive Maintenance Centre is also at completion level.
The right of way cut and seal of lot 1A & lot 3A of the rail project, is up to 75 per cent completion of about 32 kilometres.
According to the project manager, about 28 numbers of culverts has reached completion stage.
“We have about four bridges at different locations, including 21 spans of 26.8kilometers. 21 span of 6.2 meters, 2 spans of 49 meters, and 12 spans of 384 meters in four various locations,” he added.
As at January 31, 2011, materials produced and mobilised to the site includes, ballast of 140 cubic meters, out of the required 250, 000 cubic metres, 14,350 tons, of rail way tracks, covering the length of 61 kilometres, double track. Total requirement is 60.67 kilometres.
Others are 84, 000, pieces of Slipper, covering the length of 24 kilometres, while total requirement is 21, 450 piece cubic meters.
In a remark, Chairman, NSE, Joseph Olatunde Akinteye, who led the delegate on the tour, said the purpose of the visit is to expose members and acquaint them with such projects with a view to expanding their knowledge.
He commended the initiative of the present administration of the country, for resurrecting the country’s rail way system, noting that the project would help to reduce the traffic problems in the FCT and across the country.
Akinteye, however, appealed to the Federal Government to make more funds available to facilitate competition of the Abuja rail project.
His words, “there is need to give more money to the contractor because no contractor will work without money. If government really want to achieve this project, there is need to release money promptly.”
Akinteye, who observed that, the local engineers available to monitor the projects are very few, appealed to the FCT administration to engage the services of more engineers.
This is even as he appealed to the contractor to carry out the job on the project in accordance with the specification despite the delay in payment.
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