…Says we’re helping FG fix vandalised 2nd Niger Bridge
The Managing Director of Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, Dr Lars Richter, has declared that the company is a major player in the country’s construction sector. He said it is hard not to reckon with Julius Berger Nigeria Plc in the scheme of things despite the challenges posed by the Nigerian economy.
Speaking at the company’s Investors Forum after its successful 54th Annual General Meeting, Richter said opportunities abound not only at the federal government level but in states like Abia, Delta, Rivers and Akwa Ibom as well as the Republic of Benin, where the company currently has some projects ongoing.
Richter said he is optimistic that the company will get new projects from identified potential clients. “We have the brand and experience. We are not unaware of the rising competition and we remain a tier 1 construction company. We have the funding power and we have the capacity in terms of manpower and experience, which many in the competition cannot boast of.
“Julius Berger completed Phase 1 of the Lagos-Sagamu Expressway last year. Phases 2 and 3 are under review with the government. The asphalt work there is okay. Right now, some minor repair works are being undertaken. We are ready to continue our work on the project, but it will depend on the government.
“We deliberately train and employ unemployed youths at operational sites, where they have opportunities to become skilled and more useful to the society. We employ them in the sites. We don’t employ only skilled workers there. We employ unemployed youths, and train and equip them to work at our sites. We provide them with education too in our Academy. Indeed, we do a lot in the training of unemployed youths.”
According to Richter, the company’s CSR efforts have continued to have positive impacts on targeted communities. He disclosed that Julius Berger focuses on education, community development and philanthropy to ensure that sustainable efforts reach targeted beneficiaries.
“The company has some key considerations in determining its options principal among which are the Food sector and the Healthcare sector apart from the regional diversification currently experienced in Cotonou, Republic of Benin.
“We are mainly a construction company. On diversification efforts in Julius Berger, Jochen Stolle is there to look into our diversification plan. He is covering all the projects and sectors for diversification. It is a new field, and we are looking into B2B business diversification. Food security is becoming a major problem, and we are already looking into how we can key in and be relevant,” he said.
On the reported vandalisation of sections of the second Niger Bridge, Richter said the company is assisting the Federal Government to fix the vandalised project. He said: “We have records of the vandalization. We are helping the Federal Government on this. Our team has been there and only minor damage was done to the national asset. But nothing was done to the infrastructure.
“Julius Berger maintains a positive outlook in every aspect of its operations. Our strategic framework prioritises sustainability, supports growth, leverages innovation and focuses on long-term growth. We will continue to deliver high-quality services to our client and despite the challenges, Julius Berger is on the road to innovation, sustainability, and growth among other positive developments.”
