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The Federal Ministry of Works has said the Federal Government would commence repairs on the failed sections of federal roads around the country, particularly, the Makurdi-Nsukka 9th Mile Road, East West Road, Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, Benin bypass Road, collapsed bridges on Enugu-Port Harcourt Road, collapsed bridges on Shandam-Plateau State, Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Road and Gombe-Bauchi Road, among others, from December 1, 2023.
It stated that the repairs would be holistic and would involve the interventions of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) throughout the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
The Minister of Works, who disclosed this in a statement, urged the public to assist the Federal Ministry of Works and FERMA in supervising the contractors handling the repairs, as well as showing passion and interest in the ongoing projects by the Federal Ministry of Works and FERMA, as it is the right of every Nigerian to have value for their money deployed to the road infrastructure sector.
The minister stated that the use of asphalt has not been banned as it would be used alongside concrete.
He said: “The Federal Ministry of Works at no time banned the use of asphalt or directed that concrete pavement shall be the only means of road pavement structure. For the avoidance of doubt, the new policy of the Federal Ministry of Works is simply put as follows: Contractors for all the ongoing projects are simply requested to have a choice to continue to use asphalt or have their projects redesigned on concrete at no extra cost to the government following the under-listed conditions:
“Use of asphalt: contractors shall stick to only five percent Variation On Price (VOP) in line with the signed contract agreement throughout the period of the project and the signed contract shall not be subject to review, especially on bituminous items.
“The thickness of the asphalt pavement as designed must be strictly adhered to by all such contractors and the design shelf life for the asphalt, at least 15 years, shall be guaranteed by issuing an insurance bond through a reputable insurance company in favour of the Federal Government. This is in line with Article 2 of the signed contract and clause 51 of the general conditions of contract.
which is part of the documents forming the signed contract with contractors which authorise the client through the engineer to change the scope of the work, the quantity of the work, the quality of the work as the client may deem fit at any time, for all the ongoing projects. These directives to the contractors do not in any way violate the Federal Ministry of Works’ signed agreement with the contractors.
“For the use of concrete, contractors must abide by the five percent VOP and 50 years design shelf life using concrete grade 40.”
The minister said those complaining and demarketing the policy of using concrete in road pavement are those who do not wish Nigeria well and they are the same people that use adulterated bitumen in their projects, while putting pressure on our naira through the importation of adulterated bitumen, instead of developing our abundant God given bitumen deposits in Ogun State and other parts of Nigeria.
He said the new policy has not violated any law, and vowed that the Ministry of Works would go ahead with it.
“As of today, most of the ongoing projects are still ongoing with asphalt pavement in line with this new policy, while some are redesigned on concrete pavement, depending on the terrain, and with full understanding of the affected contractors of those projects.
“The Federal Ministry of Works is very concerned with the supervision of our projects and effective from December 1, 2023, there will be a revolution in the ways and methods the Federal Ministry of Works supervises her projects nationwide.
“All concerned are hereby put on notice as the Ministry will not spare anyone found culpable in his or her assignment,” the minister said.
