Only reliable contractors will handle road projects — Umahi

The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has insisted that only contractors who can deliver are needed to work on Nigerian road projects, saying this will guarantee that road projects are not abandoned by recalcitrant contractors.

Umahi stated this while inspecting ongoing works on the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Dual Carriageway, Section I, starting from Zuba Interchange and ending at Western Bypass in Kaduna, with an additional four kilometres from Zuba-Gwagwalada on the Abuja-Lokoja Expressway.

According to him, 40 kilometres (dual) will be on rigid pavement (concrete), and the company, Messrs Infiouest International (Nig.) Limited, has proven its capacity to deliver quality jobs on record time, seeing how far they have gone within a month of signing the contract.

He said, “This is without being paid the initial 30 percent mobilisation fee, as against what has been the previous practice,” stressing that they have decided that every contractor must be at the site, working for two weeks before the mobilisation fee is paid, as this is the way for sustainable project development and delivery.

Commending the quality of work, the Minister urged engineers on other projects across the country to be vigilant in ensuring that the correct composition of the stone base is achieved, adding that as a standard, it must contain at least 70 percent stone, hence the name, and 30 percent dust.

He said, “Any deviation from this ratio will compromise the road’s structural integrity, leading to premature failure in the project.”

The minister also reiterated that the Abuja-Kano Dual Carriageway is dear to Mr. President’s heart, being a vital corridor linking the North to the southern parts of the country, as well as the neighbouring countries of Cameroon, Niger, and Benin Republic.

While promising that the remaining portion of the entire alignment, Section III (Zaria-Kano), which is at the Kano end of the project, will soon be approved and awarded, he advised that reinforced concrete overlay be completed on the underlying structures before the commencement of the rainy season.

He recalled that this was the project that was unnecessarily delayed for many years by Messrs Julius Berger (Nig.) PLC (JBN) and courageously terminated by the Ministry some months ago.

“This project is the heartbeat of Mr. President because of its economic value. We are committed to ensuring its timely completion, and by the first week of March, we will begin laying an eight-inch continuous reinforced concrete pavement.

“The Government remains resolute in its commitment to quality infrastructure development, ensuring that all projects under our supervision must meet the highest standards and be completed on schedule.”

He added that interested companies must adhere to international standards and recommended practices in road construction or exit the scene.

Also, the Managing Director of the construction firm, Mr. Joseph Abougaoude, revealed that the company has taken the challenge to start the work without any payment of mobilisation fees as it is capable and believes in the Renewed Hope administration.