Port-Harcourt – The Federal Government of Nigeria may terminate the contract it awarded for the remodelling of the domestic terminal of the Port Harcourt Airport in Rivers State, Minister of State for Aviation, Mr. Hadi Sirika has said.
Sirika who spoke after a tour of the Port Harcourt Airport International yesterday said the government was considering initiating legal actions that would lead to the termination of the contact. He cited the slow pace of construction by the contractor as reasons for the possible termination of the contract.
The minister, however, expressed satisfaction with the pace of construction at the international terminal of the airport being handled by the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation Nigeria Limited and he announced that the project would be completed and inaugurated by July 2018 (this year).
“It is our hope that by July, we will deliver this airport despite some of these challenges and despite some of the errors we have identified,” said Sirika.
Speaking of the old domestic terminal of the Port Harcourt airport which had been under remodelling since 2011, Sirika expressed dissatisfaction with the pace of work by the contractor handling the project, Inter-Bua Construction Limited.
“Unfortunately, this particular procurement started in 2011 and the contractor moved to site in 2012,” he said.
“Since then, the contractor has taken his own speed the way he sees fit to do so and he has been indulged.
“He even changed the scope of work without approval and subsequently he went to the previous government and got approval to that effect.
“I am disappointed with his slow pace of work and services. As the minister of State for Aviation, I have invited him severally to my office to read him all the riot acts that I know how to.
“We have given him timelines and he has not adhered to those timelines and I am constrained to take a drastic action once I leave here.
“I believe he had all the time to finish and deliver this project. What is sad is that apparently at the time I came, I found out that he had a lot of materials on site that can take him to the finish and I don’t understand what on earth is stopping him.
“Even having paid him and agreeing with him in writing that there will not be any more variation, he has turned around to do the project the way he wants to do it.
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“This is a contract, it has its clauses that can be invoked. It is a contract between two parties. If he is not doing his part of the bargain we will definitely invoke that contractual provision.
“We are serious-minded people and I don’t think we will tolerate this. I am extremely angry and unhappy and I will deal with him legally and contractually because this project must be delivered on time,” he added.
