Umahi frowns at slow pace of work on Port-Harcourt, Aba road projects

The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has frowned at the slow pace of works on the Port Harcourt/Aba express road despite injecting huge sums into the projects.

The Minster also lamented that despite paying 85 percent of N199bn to Julius Berger PLC for the construction of Bonny Bodo Road, no tangible work has been done.

The Minister also frowned at the contractor handling the Eleme axis of the East-West Road, RCC, for delaying the construction project.

Umahi urged contractors handling various federal road projects across the country to speed up works on site and ensure the completion of projects on scheduled dates or face termination of their contracts.

Umahi spoke in Port Harcourt while inspecting some federal roads under construction in Rivers and Abia States.

Among the projects visited by the Minister was the Port Harcourt/Aba/Enugu Road, handled by an Arab Contractor and China Civil Engineering and Construction Company (CCECC), Bonny/Bodo Road handled by Julius Berger and the Ahoada and Eleme sections of the East-West Road projects handled by Setraco, Rock Results and Raynoids Construction Company (RCC).

The Minister expressed disappointment over the non-commitment of some of the contractors handling the road projects and the unnecessary excuses given as reasons for the delays.

He charged the contractors to ensure quality and timely delivery of the projects on scheduled dates, stating that the Federal Government has injected huge resources into the projects and is bound to see results.

“We have set a target that every state controller must present us with four projects to be commissioned by Mr. President beginning from February to May 20, 2025. So that will be one of them,” he said.

“We also inspected the job of CCECC from Port Harcourt to Aba and we’re very dissatisfied with the performances of CCECC.

“As a Ministry (of Works), we made up our mind this year that no matter who is involved, we’re going to be telling the public who is delaying the job so that the National Assembly will be properly guided in whom to invite.

“Last year, we had a total of N21 billion that Mr. President made available for the job from Port Harcourt to Aba section and the CCECC was able to claim only 7 billion. That 21 billion should have Completed the first carriage way and still have a remainder.”