Following the approval of the 2016 budget, Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, has appealed to road contractors to return to sites and commence work immediately.
Fashola, at a meeting with over 20 construction firms, including Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, Arab Contractors, Dantata and Sawoe, Reynolds Construction, Stabilini, RCC, Gitto Construzioni and Setraco, among others, in Abuja, yesterday, said his ministry would soon begin to offset some of the debt owed them for projects executed across the country.
The minister further noted that the ministry would ensure the contractors were paid with the funds allocated to them in the 2016 budget soon.
Fashola said: “When the debts are paid, workers who were laid off by the construction companies would be recalled to work as soon as possible.
“Very soon, in a matter of days, hopefully we will get some funding to disburse to you. What we hope to achieve is to hear from you what the problems are.”
He added: “I have been to some roads, especially in the North Central and I will continue to do that across all your sites. I need you to also provide for us information about the number of people you expect to employ in your various sites.
“I need to know the number of people you are likely to put back to work when you are paid because what we are likely to achieve here, as we go on this year, is to complete as many roads as possible as our money can allow.”
The contractors, who are owed over N600 billion, also promised to improve the standard of roads as well as provide road furniture, including signage, kilometre milestones etc.
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