Minister of Works, David Umahi, yesterday, frowned on the estimate for the construction of Ozalla-Isu-Onitsha road, with bridges estimated to cost N15 billion, and requested that the contractors should look critically at the projects.
 
Umahi, who was inspecting the road construction, stated that they were very shocked that the bridges and additional kilometres could cost such an amount, adding that contractors should stay aside when the budget is too expensive.

He said: “We will insist on turning to the use of concrete technology in road construction, a continuous one. It can stand for 50 years before it will require maintenance more than bitumen imported into the country.
 
The minister argued that bitumen would stand the number of expected years, and it is cheaper to build with locally sourced materials, adding that it is safer and cheaper.

On Enugu-Onitsha Expressway, he maintained that it must be on concrete, though the contracts were under the Road Infrastructure Tax Credit Scheme, with Contract Number 7629 on September 6, 2023.

He directed that the second carriageway of Enugu Section lll – Port-Harcourt Expressway by Messrs CGC Nig. Limited be done on concrete.  Earlier, the contractor while explaining the work, said it would be completed by April 2025 and that there was no problem of funding.