FG Stops Road Projects In South-East, Gives Reason

FG Stops Road Projects In South-East, Gives Reason

The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, made a significant decision on Wednesday, ordering a halt to certain road construction projects in the Southeast region.

This directive was issued during his inspection of various ongoing federal road constructions and rehabilitations across states in the South-East. Umahi expressed concern over the cost of four bridges and three kilometers of additional work, amounting to N15 billion.

He directed ministry directors to meet with the contractors and reevaluate the expenses, firmly believing that the project could be completed at a significantly lower cost, estimating between three to four billion naira.

He emphasized the importance of keeping project expenses reasonable to avoid prolonged construction timelines.

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During the inspections, Umahi assessed roads like the Ozalla-Akpugo-Amangunze-Isu Onicha (Enugu-Onitsha) and the rehabilitation of the Old Enugu-Onitsha road, both managed by Arab Contractors.

He also examined the construction of the Nenwe-Nomeh-Mburubu-Nara road with a spur from Obeagu-Oduma road in Enugu State, as well as the rehabilitation of Nsukka-Ikem and Eha Amufu-Nkalagu roads in Ebonyi State.

The minister commended the quality of work on several roads in Enugu and temporarily suspended certain payments until contracts and additional works were reviewed.

Umahi further directed the contractor responsible for the Mmaku road to return to the site within seven days to address the binder course.

He also instructed that the right-hand side of the Enugu-Onitsha expressway be constructed with concrete to enhance cost-effectiveness.

Umahi raised concerns about contractors leaving binder courses exposed for extended periods, which can lead to subgrade damage.

He stressed that contractors must promptly cover the binder course to maintain road integrity.

Umahi shed light on the issue of road failures, attributing them to substandard asphalt caused by subpar bitumen imports into Nigeria.

He emphasized that most road failures are not due to sub-base or subgrade issues, but rather poor-quality asphalt.

Umahi advocated for a shift towards concrete roads, asserting that this will lead to longer-lasting, low-maintenance roads, with some lasting up to 30 to 40 years.

He also disclosed plans to implement concrete construction in specific regions due to their geographical characteristics, including the Southeast, South-South, and South-West.