ABUJA (Sundiata Post) – The Minister of State for Works, Mohammed Goronyo, has directed the Managing Director of the Federal Emergency Roads Maintenance Agency, Chukwuemeka Agbasi, to provide a list of contractors who have failed to deliver on the road projects awarded to them.
The minister issued the directive during his familiarisation tour of FERMA’s South West section, where the State Coordinators presented updates on the progress, challenges, and expectations in the execution of their duties.
A statement from the Ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Mohammed Ahmed, disclosed the directive on Tuesday.
Goronyo also warned contractors who fail to meet their obligations, urging them to avoid further delays. He emphasised that failure to honour contract terms would result in serious consequences, including potential penalties, termination of contracts, and exclusion from future bidding opportunities.
He stated, “The era of abandoning projects is over.”
“These contracts are awarded and paid for with taxpayers’ money, who expect value in return,” he added.
He further directed that the list of defaulting contractors must be submitted to FERMA headquarters no later than next week.
The minister proposed the creation of a strong Technical Committee to monitor FERMA projects across the country and assess their quality.
He acknowledged the real, huge, and challenging obstacles FERMA faces, but insisted they are not insurmountable.
Goronyo commended the Federal Road Management Engineers from the South West states, assuring them that all raised concerns would be addressed to make FERMA more successful.
“The country must tighten its belt and confront these challenges head-on,” he declared. “We now have a President who is determined to tackle these challenges without complaint.”
“We must be ready to support one another, approach things differently, and support His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in delivering on his mandate,” he added.
Goronyo also pledged to make unscheduled visits to contract sites to observe contractors’ commitment first-hand, emphasising that staff welfare remains a top priority.
In a related development, Goronyo launched a solar-powered streetlight project in the Isale-Eko community of Lagos State, donated by FERMA.
He highlighted the project’s potential to improve the area’s socio-economic conditions and address security challenges, aligning with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The minister urged the residents to take ownership of the project to prevent vandalism by criminal elements.
