Taraba Faults FG’s Award of Bali-Serti Road

Wole Ayodele in Jalingo

The Taraba State Government has faulted the fresh award of the 115 kilometre Bali-Serti Road by the Federal Executive Council, which is currently under construction by the state government.

Besides, the state government has appealed to the federal government to do everything possible to expedite action on the reconstruction of Serti- Gembu Road to provide access to the Mambilla Hydro Electricity project.

Briefing newsmen at the Government House in Jalingo yesterday, the Special Adviser to Governor Ishaku on Media and Publicity, Mr. Bala Dan Abu, stated that the award of the contract by FEC has given the wrong impression about the present state of the road and the work already done on it by the Taraba State Government on behalf of the federal government.

Describing the decision of FEC as an unnecessary duplication of effort, Dan-Abu said that the state government has already awarded the said contract to P.W Nigeria Limited and the job has reached an advanced stage of completion.

He said: “The Taraba State Government has received with surprise news of the approval at a recent meeting if the Federal Executive Council (FEC), the award of contract for the reconstruction of Bali-Serti Federal Road in Taraba State.

“Ordinarily, this development should be a thing of joy for the government and people of the state except that it has given the wrong impression about the present state of the road and the work already done on it by the Taraba State Government on behalf of the federal government.

“The Taraba State Government wishes to state categorically and for avoidance of doubt, that this portion of the road (Bali-Serti) leading to Gembu, earlier been awarded to P.W Nigeria Limited and reconstructed through the initiative and funding by the Taraba State Government. Only a few bridges on the road remain to be completely fixed.”

While acknowledging the refund of part of the money spent on reconstructing the road, the state government however appealed to the federal government to pay the outstanding balance on the portion it has done and also allow the state to complete the remaining job on the bridges.

The state government, however, enjoined the federal government to embark on the second phase of the road from Serti to Gembu, headquarters of Sardauna Local Government, which is another 115 kilometers.

Thanking the federal government for the interest it has shown in the road project, the state government implored it to do everything possible to expedite action on the Serti-Gembu due to its importance to the implementation of the Mambilla Hydro Electricity project.