The Federal Government has shortlisted 16 bidders for highway concessions across the country.
The Federal Government picked 16 of the 18 construction companies that submitted bids to be chosen as concessionaires for some highways.
The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, disclosed this at the opening of the Request for Proposal Bids on the Highway Development Management Initiative (HDMI) Value Added Concession in Abuja, on Thursday.
The government explained that the bidders were picked through online portal under the HDMI.
Fashola vowed that government would not compromise in its efforts at ensuring the right thing was done and tasked the bidders to follow laid down rules.
He said, “We will expect that the project delivery team will also during the evaluation, focus on the due diligence required, relating to documentation, verification of incorporation documents with appropriate registry at the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, submission of annual accounts, so we can factor these and also ensure compliance with the tax laws and rules at the national level.”
He further explained further that VAC was not a privatization scheme but a Public Private Partnership, PPP, initiative that would bring sustainable development and management to federal highways and all assets along the right of way through private sector investors.
Fashola said, “Just as was done at the close of the RFQ (Request For Qualification) bidding back in June 2021, this public bid-opening for the RFP is another milestone and further testament of the Ministry of Works and Housing’s commitment to ensuring a robust, diligent, and transparent procurement process.”
