The Honourable Minister of Works, Sen David Umahi after his tour on the Abuja-Lokoja express way on Tuesday, in the company of Kogi state governor, Yahaya Bello, have expressed disappointment over the poor quality of work done on the Abuja-Lokoja Highway.
The minister who promised to visit the South West for a tour to ascertain the level of work done on the road, warned that the certificates of constractors will not be signed if they are found wanting over poor road constructios and that other jobs they have in some part of the country will be reviewed
This was made known during a meeting with the contractor from the South West.
He stated that he was aware that the report from the public petition was that some roads had been abandoned by the contractors and warned that any contractor who abandoned any site in any part of the country would have to go back and finish it.
The minister, who inspected the ongoing bridge construction at Section IV of the road said the perennial flood that overflows the bridge should have made the ministry think of a ramp above the flood level so that commuters would not be kept waiting for the overflow to recede before passing.
He said: “This last time there was a flood overflow here, they stayed over one week. You know, from my assessment, supposing there is an emergency medical emergency, food supply, petroleum supply, and I think it was causing a food shortage in Abuja.
“So we should have been able to design this and then use a ramp to raise it in the first place. Believing that tomorrow we do it. And so the contractor is not going to work on this section of the road apart from the bridge that way.
Upon inspecting the Gada Biu Bridge along the Abuja-Lokoja Road, the Minister who complained that the retaining 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 contracts 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 to competent ones,” he said.
While thanking the Kogi State Governor for fixing a greater part of the flood-ravaged Ganaja corridor in the state, 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 flooding, subject to his discussion with the president.
On Abuja-Lokoja Highway, Umahi said: ” I have inspected about eight projects on Abuja-Lokoja roads and I was disappointed with what I saw. How can you collect money to do something and you didn’t do it right? Do people fear God at all? We must do work for the people instead of ours.
Umahi asked the contractor handling the job if he would be happy to hear that the bridge he constructed claimed lives through accidents
He told the contractors that many of them will not like him and his style but he is only answerable to God and the president.
