"Well. I also saw it when I got off the plane. The infrastructure here is too weak. We have started to build smart roads in China. Even the coverage rate of ordinary roads here is very low." Guo Chu said empathically, "But this also shows that the market prospects here are very large."

"But the business is not easy to do!" Bai Tongxi took him to the temporary residential area and said, "We have encountered too many troubles in the past few months. And it was something we had never thought of in China before."

"It's even worse now that the project progress has completely stopped and cannot continue! If this is the case, I think our group will evacuate Nigeria!"

"So serious?" Guo Chu frowned.

"This is not serious. What's serious is that not only is it a waste of money, but it also means losing money!" Guo Chu said this, his tone a little resentful.

Central South Construction Group just entered the African market last year and first carried out infrastructure construction in a region in Kaduna State, Nigeria. The project includes a long-distance highway, a mid-way transportation railway and some urban construction.

Since last year, they have started to transport workers and construction machinery to Nigeria and recruit workers locally to start construction. However, more than nine months have passed, and their progress has not reached one-third of the original idea, but the expenses have been more than three times the budget!

"The difference in construction conditions here is something I have never seen in my first half of my life!" Bai Tongxi complained, "The government management here is extremely chaotic. Just running various procedures and handling all aspects has wasted a lot of our efforts."

"Even so, our safe construction conditions cannot be guaranteed. There are often robbers and thieves who are robbing and stealing. Last month, three workers were injured, one of them almost died, and now they are sent back to the country for recuperation. The workers are not in a good mood, and many workers demand to return to China."

"And our construction machinery. Once, several large machinery were directly snatched away by gunmen, and the losses reached tens of millions in one go!"

Bai Tongxi is full of bitterness. After staying in the peaceful China for a long time, he feels unhappy everywhere here.

Although Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa, its security management is very bad. Due to poverty, tribes, faith and other issues, armed conflicts occur from time to time in many places.

As for robbery and extortion crimes, they happen almost every day. In the eyes of criminals here, foreigners are "rich people" and are more likely to become their targets.

These days, the people of Zhongnan Construction Group have suffered a lot.

In order to integrate into this place, they also specially trained locals to be bodyguards and laborers. Unfortunately, these people have limited functions. The local workers almost come to make a living, grinders, paddling, and run away when they encounter danger. The group is still the one who cheats.

Bai Tongxi took Guo Chu to the construction site to see that they were riding a modified off-road vehicle, with bulletproof doors and windows, and there were bodyguards with guns on the car. This made Guo Chu really feel that traveling here is indeed a bit dangerous.

What they went to see was a railway, which was built to transport mineral resources. Nearby, there was a huge tin mine, which was also mined by a Chinese company.

The small half of the front section of the railway is fine, it has been built, and workers are responsible for testing and repairs every day. When it is interrupted, the construction is interrupted here, and no workers start work.

When Guo Chu and others arrived, they were finding several black people stealing things at the construction site. The black bodyguards in the car immediately got out of the car and shouted at them with guns. The people fled in a hurry.

"These black people are poor people in nearby villages or tribes, and they often come to steal things." Bai Tongxi said in a helpless and sad tone, "It doesn't work for us to call the police. They can't even control themselves and help us. If we hurt them, they will find a large number of people in the tribe who come to us for trouble."

"Once we injured several thieves, we paid tens of thousands of dollars. Do you think there is such a reason in the world?"

"It's really unreasonable." Guo Chu patted his shoulder and said, "Thank you for your hard work."

Bai Tongxi continued: "The project here has been stopped because of the robbery and injury incident not long ago that some workers were unwilling to work here. Several of our excavators, cranes, etc. have also been stolen and re-mobilized."

"And safety cannot be guaranteed, and it is not easy for us to start construction."

Guo Chu asked: "How do others do it? Those other Chinese companies."

"Not all places are so chaotic." Bai Tongxi said, "Public security in some places is OK, and some companies specially hire their own security teams. As long as they do not encounter large-scale armed conflicts, there is basically no problem."

"We also tried to do this, but found that it was not possible at all. I was afraid that someone was deliberately making trouble. When we first came last year, one of the local black bodyguards we hired died!"

"This project is so difficult to do! The situation in China is so good, and sometimes I want to go back to China to do it."

Guo Chu knew that Bai Tongxi was under too much pressure during this period and comforted him: "Aren't I here to help you? No matter how difficult it is, we must finish this project. We have invested so much, and giving up halfway will be a huge loss!"

"Besides, this is also our accumulation of experience in engineering in Africa. It would be a pity if we give up such a large market in Africa."

"We have to re-tune workers from China and transfer machinery." Bai Tongxi only complained a little, and did not think about giving up.

"I'm afraid that I will encounter the previous situation again."

"You don't have to hurry this. We just ordered a batch of new equipment from Pengyun Machinery. When the order arrives, I will transfer it here directly. Ensure you are shocked! The problem of labor shortage should be solved very well." Guo Chu said, "You just said that someone might have made trouble on purpose. What is the situation?"

"There is a Gola tribe nearby, which is relatively strong and their chief is also domineering. When we build nearby, we have to pay them 'benefits'. But their chief is a little too greedy, thinking that what we don't give enough, and once hinted that we would threaten to create chaos for us. I suspect it was his fault." Bai Tongxi explained.

Guo Chu knew him, Bai Tongxi had always spoke conservatively, and he was a little suspicious, which was almost certain. This problem is really difficult to solve.

Nigeria is not a truly modern country. There are many tribes in the country. In some areas, tribal chiefs have considerable power and even have their own armed forces. It is not uncommon for armed conflicts between tribes.

Even if the local government allows them to build here, the nearby chiefs will have no choice but to cause trouble for them.
Chapter completed!