… Direct contractors to use 70% stone base, 30% dust base for roads construction
From Tony Osauzo, Benin and Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha
Provoked by poor quality of job by the contractor handling the reconstruction of the dilapidated Benin-Sapele-Ologbo Federal highway, the Minister of Works, Engineer Dave Umahi, at the weekend, threatened to terminate the multi-billion naira contract if the contractor, Levant Construction Company, failed to comply strictly with the scope and specification of the work.
This was even as he directed that henceforth contractors should use 70 percent stone base and 30 percent dust base for construction of roads.
The Minister who expressed dissatisfaction at the work, ordered the ministry’s supervising engineers to issue a warning letter to the contractors on Monday and after 14 days should they fail to do the right job he will personally terminate the contract.
Umahi, a former governor of Ebony state, after inspecting the Benin-Ologbo axis, lamented that contractors in the country are playing politics with Nigerians and warned that he would not tolerate such under his watch.
By Monday give them a warning letter to start permanent work and if by Monday they didn’t start, give 14 days’ notice of termination.
We paid multi-billion naira for this job and we have seen that a lot of contractors in this country are just playing politics with us and we have emphasised on this severally.
“We will pay mobilization fee to a contractor, we will never pay variation on price (VOP) for that amount we have paid and that is the problem with Levant and after 14 days of notice of termination I will come and terminate the job myself.
“You cannot do this kind of job in your country, it can only happen in Africa. You can’t collect our money and be misbehaving like this. It is a big shame, look at how people are suffering everywhere and we should be happy clapping for you? I have had more than 10 meetings with them on this Job. If anything goes wrong they will be calling Mr President,” he said.
Minister, who was received by officials of the Federal Ministry of Works in Benin and that of Edo State Ministry of Roads and Bridges was on an inspection tour of work done on federal roads, was.
Meanwhile, Umahi has assured that his Ministry would promote indigenous resources, skills and capacities through creating more opportunities for local contractors in the construction industry, especially in the new innovation of concrete technology being used in tough terrains across the nation.
He said that the vision was to promote local content as a major game changer in the economic recovery plans of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The Minister who stated this when he visited some flood sections along the East West Road in Delta State undergoing remedial work by an indigenous contractor, Messrs True Tech Nigeria Limited, expressed happiness over the good job done by the contractor.
He said his Ministry would do everything possible to ensure value for money, create wealth and jobs for indigenous professionals and technicians, introduce engineering solutions that are more economical and discourage delays in project delivery.
In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Uchenna Orji, a lawyer, Umahi said: “ We have about 10 different washouts, which we are providing multiple culverts in place of a decompile, which would have been much more expensive. But our solution is very economical, and it will solve the engineering problems. And then we’re raising the road level above the flood level. And we are also using a concrete pavement to do it.
“We’re also going to put solar light, at least let it be the signature of Mr. President, and that will be the microcosm of the macrocosm of what Nigerians should expect on our roads under the administration of Mr. President”
The Minister who also inspected the dualization of Sapele-Agbor road, route no. 3 in Delta State handled by CGC Nigeria Limited, where he commended the construction company for their good job. “It is good, so we will do everything to assist you, but listen to our directive. Follow the existing asphalt, pulverize it, and put 20 cm stone base. Don’t use dust base.”
Umahi also inspected the rehabilitation of Warri-Sapele road via route no. 2, section 3 in Delta State, handled by SKECC Nigeria Limited; the Benin-Warri road rehabilitation, section 2, Sapele-Imasabor, handled by Geld Construction Nig Ltd/Tracter Nigeria Ltd in Delta State as well as the Benin-Agbor route no.4 and Benin By-pass route 5 all in Edo State. He gave an ultimatum directing Geld Construction Nigeria Ltd/Tracter Nigeria Ltd to within 14 days justify the mobilization received or have their job terminated.
“After 14 days of this warning notice and there’s nothing happening, I will come and terminate the job” the minister warned.