Umahi Says Rain Won’t Stop Work on East-West Road, Laments Rising Cement Prices

*Issues termination notice to contractor for alleged non-performance

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

Despite the imminent rainy season, the Minister of Works, David Umahi, at the weekend said that work will not stop on the much delayed critical East-West road, linking all Niger Delta states with the South-west.
While commending the level of work on the highway, during an inspection, Umahi reiterated that the ministry will continue to encourage the contractor handling the job to stick to the design and according to the expectation of Nigerians.

While noting the impact of new engineers deployed by the contractor, the minister said he was satisfied with the level of professionalism so far.
He stated that there had been an increase in the number of sections being worked on and underscored the urgency of finishing the reconstruction as early as possible.

Commenting on the percentage of work done by the contractor, Umahi said: “We can’t talk in terms of percentages. If we get all the quality jobs like this, then I’ll go to sleep, because this is the major one.
“The foundation of every structure is more important than the structure itself. So, we are more interested in getting this done. When this is done, to lay the concrete is not going to be difficult at all. But this is the most difficult.”

He assured that the coming of the rains should not be a stumbling block  to the progress of work on the road, noting that a different design would be deployed.
On the tax credit scheme, he said: “It is very obvious, and we’ve said it that the president never stopped any of the project. In fact, he has also, based on the first module, given approval that we can review the projects.”
Stressing that it is currently being reviewed, including the one on the East-West road, the minister noted that luckily the contract sum for the road has not been increased even though it had been redesigned.

Umahi also re-echoed his earlier statement that President Bola Tinubu has directed an immediate interface with major cement manufacturers in the country over rising price of cement.
He disclosed that the president was seriously concerned with the current situation of increase in cement prices.
“Some are still selling sometimes for N10,000 and sometimes N12,000 and so on and so forth. So, it’s not healthy for us. So Mr. President has directed that we should interface with them, look at their problems, and then see who is ripping off Nigerians and see how we can help them, the transporters and then the manufacturers.

“And that’s what we’re going to do on Monday (today) in the meeting with Dangote Plc, BUA Plc, Lafarge Plc and others,” he stated.
Earlier, he attended Senator Barinada Mpigi’s thanksgiving service held in his hometown, Okoroma in Tai Local Government Area of Rivers state.
Meanwhile, Umahi has directed that 14 days termination notice be issued to Messrs China Civil Engineering  Construction Company (CCECC) which is handling the Abia section of the Enugu-Port Harcourt Highway currently undergoing rehabilitation for alleged non-performance.

He gave the directive when he inspected the progress of work at Ozuaku, after Imo bridge along Enugu- Port Harcourt expressway yesterday
 “I’ve just directed that they should issue them 14 days termination notice using all due process in construction. After 14 days, if they fail to do what we have asked them to do, then we will have to do the termination notice.
“We will no longer tolerate the situation where contractors will put blank ranks on site. And they will be escalating construction costs by delaying the completion of project date.

“We have reached an agreement in ministry of works that in the coming weeks, all non-performing contracts using due process will be terminated and re-awarded,” he disclosed.
The minister added:  “We let them know the suffering of Nigerians. We  are here to help them and we will do everything to help them.
“The cost of non-completion of this project has a lot to do with  contractors. Where contractors stay on projects over and over and be pretending, thereafter, they come to request for augmentation every year refusing to leave the site,  we will force them out of site either on the terms of completion or on the terms of termination,” he stated.
Umahi added that despite over 3,000 road projects inherited by this administration, President Bola Tinubu had provided huge resources for fixing the road network.
Umahi however lauded Arab Contractors, the contractor carrying out the ongoing rehabilitation of work on the 56km Abia State section of the Enugu -Port Harcourt highway for quality of work as well as Messrs CGC Nig. Ltd.