By HABIBU UMAR AMINU, Kano

Kano State government has revoked the contract for the rehabilitation and asphaltic overlay of Ahmadu Bello Way for non-performance and lack of timely completion of the project on the part of the contractor.

The contract, which was earlier awarded at over N500million, has been re-awarded to another firm at the cost of N1.4 billion.

It was gathered that the contract was earlier awarded to Messrs Tiamin Multi-Services Global Limited but now re-awarded to Messrs Traiacta Nigeria Limited.

Daily Trust reports that Tiamin Multi-Services Global Limited has been having a running battle with the state government over its alleged role in the viral video showing the state governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, allegedly collecting kick-back from a contractor, an allegation the governor strongly denied.

Briefing newsmen on the outcome of the executive council meeting on Thursday, the state commissioner for Information, Malam Muhammad Garba, said so far 15 percent advance payment amounting to N84.9m was released to the contractor while about 12 percent progress was achieved.

He said following reconciliation of accounts between the state government and the contractor’s engineer, a reconciliation certificate raised indicated a negative value of N11.3m against the contractor and a balance of 10 per cent retention money amounting to N3m in favour of the contractor pending expiration of the defect liability period.

“The scope of the project comprises among others, site clearance, scarification of existing failed surfacing, excavation and removal of bituminous sections, fill material, demolition of failed ring culverts, box culverts and block work drainages, provision of subbase and crush stone base, prime coat, provision of asphaltic binder and wearing courses,” he said.

Mohammed said other decisions taken by the council included the release of N169.5 million to the State Senior Secondary School Management Board to cater for nine weeks feeding, logistics and monitoring of students writing the National Examination Council (NECO) and the National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS) examinations.

He said the number of students sitting for both NECO and NBAIS which stood at 12,171, will be fed for nine weeks during their stay in school at the cost of N1, 591 per head which translates to N161. 1million and logistic and monitoring at N20,000×39 schools for nine weeks for NECO totalling N7 million, while that of NBAIS at N20,000 for nine weeks stood at N9.5 million. (Daily Trust)

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