Abuja-Lokoja Highway: Umahi Stops Contractor Over Poor Job, Insists On Standard

....As He Recommends Flyover On Flood-Prone Spots

By Uche Sunny

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 report at the office for evaluation and review, to determine whether he would continue or relieved of the contract.

“It will not be business as usual 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 to 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 spots experiencing persistent floooding as a permanent solution, adding however that it is subject to the outcome of his discussion with the president afterwards.

On Tuesday the Minister 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.

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.

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.

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