N7.6b Ultra-modern Gombe motor park: Gov Yahaya gives contractor September completion date
Chima Azubuike
Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Yahaya, on Saturday gave the contractor handling its N7.6 billion Ultra-modern mega park till end of September to complete the project.
Recall that the project, was awarded by the immediate past administration led by Ibrahim Dankwambo, since 2012 at the initial contract sum of 3.2 billion naira. It was said to had gulped almost 2.8 billion billion naira and attained only 43 percent completion status before being abandoned as at August 2020.
Our correspondent reports that the ultra-modern mega park was constructed by AG Ferraro under global associates as consultants comprising civil and building works and ready for utilisation, containing several buildings among which is the main terminal building four taxi line, four bus line.
Others are one luxury bus line, two mosques, motel, two offices, police and fire building, clinic, workshop, retail shops, trucks parking and cashier offices.
According to the consultants, “All of the facilities are substantially completed.”
Speaking during the inspection of the project, Yahaya decried the pace of work, urging contractors to round off work for transfer of parks to the designated point.
According to the Governor, the huge investment on the project should be justified through timely completion to benefit all.
He said, “We need to create room for development. We have invested 7.6 billion naira here and there is no reason people should not benefit from that investment that is why I’m insisting the contractor has been lagging behind.
“I will charge you if you don’t finish by September ending, we will charge you because N7.6 billion is alot of money and we are moving several motor parks to this place and already we want to implement the project on those other sites. Movement here has become necessary, so no waste of time any longer.”
Investigating further the reason for the delay, the governor asked the Consultants if they were owing the contractors, but he responded saying no, “No Kobo (is being owed), so you have no reason whatsoever not to deliver.”
Speaking on how best to recoup the huge sum invested in building the park Yahaya said they were largely sourced through loans.
“Mind you we got the money through a bond meaning a post dated payment that were have been doing in instalment that has not ended. We have ceded the park to Gombe Revenue Optimisation Company Limited. It will in tandem with the unions ensure that the money is recouped overtime, I’m sure we will recover the cost take that from me,” Yahaya said.
Yahaya also embarked on inspection visits to Sharia Court of Appeal, North-East International Market (Bauchi Motor Park), BAP 4 Zone (Behind International Hotel) and Water Board-Tike Road Pantami.
