The House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee is scrutinizing an alleged stalled road project in Kaduna State. Worth N1.46 billion, the Gidanwaya-Guaran Dutse-Waman Rafi-Saminaka-Kano road contract was awarded on October 5, 2022, to Messrs Jam Jam Dynamic Platform Limited by the Federal Ministry of Works, with a 12-month completion target. Despite this, lawmakers raised concerns on Tuesday in Abuja, alleging that the road remains unstarted despite full payment to the contractor.
Committee Chairman Rep. Bamidele Salam (PDP-Osun) revealed that the Debt Management Office reported that this project, along with others, was financed by federal government loans. He expressed disappointment over previous absences of Dr. Yakubu Adam, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Works, who had been summoned multiple times.
Dr. Adam, appearing before the committee, clarified that the N1.46 billion contract only covered a segment of the 133-kilometer road and that construction was to be phased due to funding constraints. He acknowledged surprise at the lack of progress on the project, as records indicated work should have commenced.
The committee ordered Dr. Adam to submit all project-related documents by November 1 and scheduled another hearing for November 4. Rep. Salam emphasized that the timely submission would facilitate a thorough investigation to verify the project’s status and the contractor’s claims regarding progress and payment.
