….As He Recommends Flyover On Ganaja Road
By SUNDAY ABAH, Abuja
The Federal Minister of Works and. Housing, Engr David Umahi, has expressed disappointment over the quality of work done by contractors on the Abuja-Lokoja Highway.
Umahi who registered his concern while meeting with stakeholders in his office on Wednesday said he was not impressed with the eight projects he inspected on Abuja-Lokoja Highway and that of Lokoja-Benin, citing lack of standard quality among a few others.
Upon inspecting the Gada Biu Bridge along the Abuja-Lokoja Road, the Minister who complained that the retain walls among others were faulty and failing, ordered the contractor to stop work and come to the office for evaluation and review, to determine whether he would continue or relieved of the contract.
“It will not be business whereby contractors would get contract and delay or fail to deliver. If any contractor is found wanting in any projects, other contracts awarded to him will be revoked and given too competent ones,” he said.
While thanking the Kogi State Governor for fixing a greater part of the flood ravaged Ganaja corridor of the Lokoja-Benin Road, the Minister assured that the road would be reconstructed with concrete, even as he recommended that flyovers may be considered for the area due to persistent floooding, subject to his discussion with the president.
On Tuesday the hit the ground running in his new assignment as he kick-started with an inspection tour of the Abuja-Lokoja and the Lokoja-Benin Highways shortly after meeting with the management of the ministry,
heads of agencies and parastatals, contractors among other stakeholders for briefs at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday.
Umahi upon assumption of office at the Works ministry on Monday, declared his intention to kickstart with a tour of road projects across the six geo-political zones of the country.
READ ALSO: Umahi Meets Road Contractors, Others, Harps On Local Content, Standard
The minister, who headed straight to the Federal Ministry of Works after his inauguration alongside other ministers by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the State House Villa Banquet Hall, Abuja, said he would embark on the inspection of the Lokojo-Benin, Lokoja-Abuja roads the next day.
The former governor of Ebonyi state also charged engineers to embrace the use of concrete technology amid FOREX challenges and petroleum crises and declared that his office would encourage the use of concrete technology and patronise local content in building roads so as to stir economic growth.
Stressing that his major business is not in office but in the field, he sought the cooperation of the management and staff towards making the change envisaged by President Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda a reality.
Speaking after receiving the briefs from stakeholders, the Minister who restated his position on standard, concrete, and local content, expressed his readiness to work with contractors and support them, adding however that delay in delivery would not be condoned.
He also vowed that under his watch files would not stay beyond two hours to be treated, but on the contrary, the erring officers must explain while they are delayed.
‘’Under my leadership, no file will stay for more than two hours. In two weeks, I will be in the field and I will settle down only when I have seen. We will activate local content during our tenure in the administration,” Umahi said.
Speaking on behalf of the management and staff of the ministry, the Permanent Secretary, Mamman Mahmud assures the Ministers of maximum support to enable him achieve the mandate of the sector.