Umahi establishes a four-year deadline for road construction – Thursday, Nigerian Works Minister Sen. David Umahi declared that no federally funded initiative should take longer than four years to complete.
This was stated by the former governor of Ebonyi state during an inspection of ongoing federal roads in Ebonyi.
Umahi stated that in road construction, if asphalt lasts ten years, concrete lasts fifty years, and on-site vehicles should consider using concrete if asphalt only lasts ten years.
The minister threatened to sanction any contractor who failed to complete assigned projects within the specified time frame.
“The contractors are performing admirably. One of the absent contractors will be referred to the legal department. We need to know why he is absent. We will compare his actions with the information he has gathered.
This position was granted until 2012, and it is intolerable. No undertaking should exceed four years in duration. The undertaking needs to be reviewed.
“Concrete use is not set in stone. First is the road’s stability. As in the north, bitumen can be used, but this does not preclude the use of concrete. If asphalt lasts ten years, then concrete will last fifty.”
“I’ve instructed all of the regional directors to collaborate with my team of consultants to review all of the projects undergoing expansions.”
“This is not an investigation, but I want to be able to address your questions about why, for example, a project awarded for N2 billion is now N10 billion. I should be able to respond. I need to know why initiatives are receiving upward reviews.
“Although BPP would have approved it, I will reduce the price if I believe the enhancement is superfluous.
“I am not opposed to the expansion, but I want to be able to defend the expansion before Mr. President, the national assembly, the masses, and the media.”
“This is not an interrogation, and I seek knowledge. For example, I recently met with the National Assembly. They are investigating why the road from Abuja to Kaduna, Kano, and Zaria went from N155 billion to N655 billion. I have a partial understanding of the reason, but I’d like to have a complete understanding so I can defend it.