No Project Should Exceed 2 Years, Umahi Declares

Minister of Works David Umahi has inspected the Abuja-Lokoja Highway and ordered concrete road construction for durability.

The minister, who directed contractors to present quotations for concrete roads, declared that no project under the present administration should last more than two years.

Umahi undertook the inspection of the Abuja-Lokoja Expressway with the governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello.

He said there would be a review and redesign of the road contract and urged the contractors to use concrete on all Nigerian roads.

The minister promised to deliver concrete roads across the country, saying they are more durable, and can last 50 years as well as remain maintenance-free.

He, therefore, urged contractors to bring their quotations for concrete roads, saying concrete is the key because it is durable to withstand all types of stresses imposed upon it.

“All we need to do is to change our ways of indexing. If we are making 100 percent profit in a project that will last 20 years, why don’t we make a smaller percentage in a project that should last for 50 years and less maintenance,” he said.

According to him, modern technology and innovation used in the western world should also be deployed on Nigeria roads.

“Mr. President has directed that we must bring confidence to our people in the use of our roads. 95 percent of kidnappings occur along our highways road, we must begin to think how to bring back our people to confidently use the roads.

Umahi, however, stated that “we cannot have all the projects going on at the same time. If we have 100km of road, let us face it. For me, no project should run beyond two years so we can make adequate funding of the phase in the first two years of our budgeting.”

On his part, Governor Bello said the construction of roads and provision of other critical infrastructure by the President Bola Tinubu administration would serve the people better than handing out palliatives.

He described the Abuja-Lokoja Road as critical to the socioeconomic lives of the people as it links the southwest, south-south and southeast regions to the Federal Capital Territory and the northern parts.