Federal government has introduced new measures to end pavement failures and years of infrastructural neglect on the East-West Road traversing the South-South region.
The minister of works, Engr Nweze David Umahi, revealed this during a visit to the project sites on the East-West Road section II: Kaiama-Ahoada in Rivers/Bayelsa states; the construction of multiple box culverts at flood damaged locations on the dualisation of the road handled by Messrs Rock Results Nigeria Ltd and the dualisation of Section II (sub section II) managed by SETRACO Nigeria Ltd dated 22nd July 2024.
In a statement by his special adviser media Orji Uchenna Orji, Umahi said the government redesigned the inherited ongoing project, using reinforced concrete technology to end the perennial pavement failures and years of road neglect across the wetland Niger Delta.
He said some sections of the East-West Road starting from Lokoja to Benin were also rescued and redesigned in reinforced concrete, adding that the height of the road was increased above the flood level.
The minister stated that the redesign factored in the peculiar environment, geomorphology and soil characteristics, which were responsible for the failures of flexible pavement used over the years by successive administrations.
In the Kaiama-Ahoada section, he said, “When we came on board, the past administration had already awarded the job. And so, the only new thing in all these locations under President Tinubu is the relief culverts that these two local contractors are putting in, proving themselves to be of a very high reputation in terms of their work.
We are encouraging many more local contractors to come and work because there’s so much to work.”
He observed that the impact of climate change was largely responsible for the flood that came over the two sections of the road but commended the two contractors handling the relief culverts for their commitment to the intervention work despite having not been paid.
He said, “And so our directive is that the contractor shouldn’t open more relief culverts. Let us contain the floods by working with NDDC. And I commend the MD of NDDC for the fantastic work they are doing.”
He thanked Rock Results, who also handled emergency works, even though it was outside the scope and the 29 Battalion with other paramilitary outfits for the management of the traffic, which he said would continue for the next two to four weeks.
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