Inspection of Ongoing Federal Roads Rehabilitation in Northwest Zone: We Know Concrete Road Technology Will Be A Huge Success, Says Works Minister   …..BUA Cement restates commitment to reduction in price   We know that concrete road technology is going to be a huge success for the benefit of our people, says the Honourable Minister of Works, Sen. Engr. Nweze David Umahi, CON.   According to him, we are sure that utilizing  concrete road technology is the right decision and so we have not made any mistakes insisting that concrete road technology should take its root, especially in some of these key projects.”   The Honourable Minister disclosed this today in Sokoto while fielding questions from journalists after the inspection BUA Cement facility which is part of his inspection of ongoing rehabilitation of highways in Sokoto State.   Speaking on his visit to the State, Sen. Umahi disclosed that “first, I'm here to inspect as you know, a very ambitious road project being embarked upon by His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Nigeria, Senator Tinubu Ahmed.   He added that the Federal Government was “constructing 372 kilometers of roads, multiplied by two, which means its dualization. One road is an existing one, which we are doing complete rebuilding, and then a brand-new road, again, of 372; a total of 744 km roads.   The Honourable Minister revealed that “Mr. President wants this road very fast, but wasn't too sure if we can get the volume of cement to use. So, we are constructing the first 372 kilometers running from Kaduna, Zaria, Zamfara, to Sokoto, with asphalt as the carriageway, and then the shoulders will be concrete”.   Adding that “but the entire new lane, carriageway, will be constructed with concrete.”   Stressing the agenda of President Tinubu for the road sector, Sen. Umahi reiterated that “I know very well that Mr. President's still desires that the public should get something much better. And he's giving all the support, so we still expect that you will fulfill the promise you made to Mr. President as we're going back to the status quo so that the public can benefit.   “The very massive housing project Mr. President has embarked upon will definitely see the light of the day. And also, the massive road construction Mr. President has embarked upon will also benefit from this initiative.”   Commenting on his impression of facility tour of BUA Cement, Sen Umahi said “So we have gone there, we have seen, and it's quite amazing, the complexity of the cement factory of BUA in Sokoto.”   “We saw very organized industrial setup, no single dust. There was no need to use a nose mask. There was no loitering of workers, everything being in automation.”   While speaking to journalists about the cooperation of BUA Group with the Federal Government on the reduction of price of cement, the Group Executive Director, BUA Cement, Alhaji Kabir Rabiu while thanking the Minister, told them his company stands by their commitment made to the Federal Government two weeks ago.   He said further that “then we gave a commitment, not only on the pricing, but also on additional capacity to go to the market, reassuring that with 165 additional trucks on a daily basis from our Sokoto cement allotment, we're putting almost 400 trucks by day of cement into the market.”   “We believe this additional capacity is going to have a serious positive effect on the supply and demand issue in the country, he emphasized.   He reaffirmed that “we also gave in our commitment that we don't believe cement should sell more than 7,000 Naira anywhere in Nigeria.   He thus promised that “we will continue to do our best to support this administration, to support Mr. President's agenda in ensuring that Nigerian economy is back on its feet and is doing so much better than it is doing at the moment.”   On his part, the Senate Chairman of Committee on Housing, Senator Aminu Tambuwal noted that cement product is very critical and a major component towards delivery of housing projects by the Federal Government by state governments and even by the private sector in our country.   The inspection visits by the Honourable Minister to Sokoto and Zamfara States will see him inspect four projects across four States; which includes Katsina and Kaduna States. ...

How Sen. Umahi's Extra-Ordinary Project Supervision Power and Zero Tolerance for Waste Resonate in the Delivery of a Quality and Enduring Road Infrastructure Nationwide  …..Last Inspection Visit to Enugu and Abia and Port Harcourt in Focus   1. As the appointment of an ingenious civil engineer, accomplished captain of industry and seasoned public administrator of many years standing as Works Minister by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR continues to receive commendation from Nigerians, the Hon. Minister of Works, H.E. Sen. Engr. Nweze David Umahi CON has continued to justify the confidence reposed on him.   2. This is evident in the innovations he introduced  in road  construction, maintenance, and management as well as concrete technology; his initiatives  on project  scoping  and design, extra-ordinary contract negotiation powers, and precision; his new policy on having a COREN registered Engineers on project sites, working  with the State Government's  Works  department for joint evaluation  of  projects awarded by Federal Government within the boundaries of their States and a thorough  inspection  of all projects embarked  upon by the Federal Ministry of Works. The Hon. Minister of Works is a man who matches words with action. Since he came on board, he has continued to make it a point of duty to inspect ongoing projects, and the people are already seeing the difference, and this underscores the fact that Mr. President means business. The last project inspection visit of the Honourable Minister of Works was to road projects in Rivers, Abia, and Enugu States, which he inspected between 16th and 18th February 2024.    3. In the last inspection visit, the first port of call of the Honourable Minister was the dualization of East- West Road Section 11(Sub- Section 11) Ahoada- Kaiama (Rivers/ Bayelsa States) handled by Rock Result on three flood prone locations. The Honourable Minister, who arrived at the project site at about 6pm, commended the company for complying with specifications. He said, "........" This was also the impression expressed by the Senate Deputy Whip and member Senate Committee on Public Accounts, Distinguished Sen. Barr. Onyekachi Peter Nwaebonyi. "......"   4. The Honourable Minister continued his inspection visit the following day to see the ongoing upgrading of the section of the East- West Road section 111, from Eleme junction to Onne junction in Rivers State, handled by Reynolds Construction Company Nigeria Ltd where he commended the improvements made by the company on the work specification. He tasked them with having a milestone performance before the rainy reason. "The Hon. Minister also made a stop over at Koroma Tai Local Government Area of Rivers State to solidarize with the Senate Committee Chairman on Works, Distinguished Senator Mpigi Barinada, PhD on his thanksgiving service in celebration of his successful election into the Senate. The programme which had in attendance who is who in the 10th National Assembly to have a feedback on the excitement of the people of the  area on the quality  of job done in the ongoing project in the area.   5. On the 18th day of February 2024, the Hon. Minister of Works covered five project locations along the Enugu- Port Harcourt Highway. He first visited the rehabilitation work at Enugu- Port Harcourt dual carriageway section 4(Aba- PH) handled by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC). At the project location, the Hon. Minister frowned at the slow pace of work and the inability of the company to mobilize effectively to the site. He therefore directed the Ag. Controller of Works Rivers State to follow due process and issue 14 days Termination Notice within which if the company fails to mobilize, due process would be followed to terminate the contract.   The Hon. Minister proceeded to the Aba axis of the expressway where he stopped over to inspect the Rehabilitation and Reconstruction of Enugu- Port Harcourt dual carriageway section 2, Umuahia Tower- Aba Aba Township Rail/ Road Crossing in Abia State.  The Hon. Minister commended the speed and quality of job done and urged them to keep it up. ""....."   This was followed by his inspection of the Rehabilitation of Enugu- Port Harcourt Expressway Section 3, Enugu- Lokpanta handled by CGC. The Hon. Minister also appreciate the progress of work "........"   He ended the inspection with a visit to the rehabilitation work at the collapsed bridge site at the New Artisan Bridge near NNPC mega fillings station Enugu Capital City, Enugu State and the construction of 23 Span flyover Bridge project at Eke-Obinagu Junction (NNPC Depot), Along Enugu Abakaliki Road, Enugu State to decongest movement of gridlock in southeast.   Meanwhile, the CCECC has been issued with the notice to fully mobilize to the site by the Controller of Works, Rivers. It is expected that by the time the Honourable Minister comes back in the nearest time, the company would have substantial work. Road infrastructure development across the nation is having commendable improvement.   Nigeria will soon see that Mr. President means business with Nigeria's prosperity. ...

Works Minister Pledges Robust Engagement with COREN on Development of Engineering Practice   The Honourable Minister of Works, Sen. (Engr) Nweze David Umahi, CON, has pledged robust engagement with the Council for the Reregulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) on the development of engineering practice in Nigeria.   “It is our intention to work with COREN and all other engineering affiliates, we will like to work with you as we have so far carried you along very well incorporating into a number of our committees and you have responded positively”.   The Honourable Minister gave the pledge today when the leadership of COREN led by the President and Chairman of Council, Engr. Prof Sadiq Zubair Abubaker, paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja.   Sen. Umahi, who spoke to the delegation in the presence of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Yakubu Kofarmata, stressed the importance of partnering with the engineering body, noting that it has become expedient for COREN and other stakeholders to work for the development of the profession; especially the need to uphold professional ethics and excellence.   Emphasizing the role of COREN, he said “I do believe strongly that the engineering body is not doing what should be done; there is supposed to be action where professional ethics are breached.”   Continuing, he opined that “there should be punitive action taken that will help in promoting professional ethics and ultimately leading to promoting engineering service as in the case of other professions like Law.”   On the need for the regulators to upscale their impact on the practice, he stated that “If the engineering bodies should do their work of ensuring the discipline of our profession, then we can get a better practice, a better society. The people you fail to supervise today are going to be the ones to build the bridges we will use tomorrow; that is the danger if we don’t do our own part to ensure that the professional ethics are enforced,” the Minister submitted.   Earlier in his remarks, the President of COREN, Engr. Prof Sadiq Zubair Abubaker expressed his delight on how the Honourable Minister has in the last few months changed the narration in the critical sector of infrastructural development in the country. He reassured the Honourable Minister of continuing partnership with the Ministry in the interest of the development of the engineering practice in the country.   In the delegation of COREN were the Registrar of COREN, Engr. Prof. Adisa Bello; the Head of Finance and Accounts, Lawan Mariri. Others include Engr Ahmed Kutigi, and Engr. Teah Andrew Onyilo. ...