Umahi Inspects Sections of East-West Road, Enugu - Port Harcourt Expressway and Bodo - Bonny Road  - Sets Clear Expectations for Contractors, Urges Swift Action to Meet Infrastructure Deadlines The Minister of Works, Engr. Nweze David Umahi, CON, FNSE, FNATE, while expressing satisfaction with the quality of work on the East-West Road, Section III (Eleme Junction - Onne Junction), has directed the Contractor, Messrs Reynolds Construction Company (RCC) to deploy more resources to hasten the pace of work or face re-scoping and re-award of the contract. The Minister gave the warning yesterday, Wednesday, 8th January, 2025, while inspecting the progress of work on the project. He reminded the contractor that he has up to the end of April, 2025 to deliver a section of the carriageway. Engr. Umahi, began the inspection of ongoing road projects in the South East and South South geopolitical zones on Tuesday, 7th January, 2024 with the Enugu - Port Harcourt Expressway, Section III (Umuahia - Aba). He applauded the contractor, Messrs Arab Contractors (Nig.) Ltd. on the quality of work but instructed them to deploy in two more sites to speed up the construction and, most importantly, meet the set dateline. The Minister was also on Section IV (Aba - Port Harcourt) of the same alignment being handled by Messrs China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC). He expressed displeasure over the slow pace of work, noting that they have only been able to access N7, 000,000,000:00K (Seven Billion Naira) out of the N21,000,000,000:00k (Twenty -One Billion Naira) provided for the project, last year. Consequently, he instructed the Federal Controller of Works (FCW), Rivers State to issue a warning to the contractor, promising to terminate it, if there are no improvements in the tempo of work.  The tour of duty also took the Minister to the Bodo-Bonny Road, where he, again, voiced discontent with the level of work achieved. He prodded the Contractor, Messrs Julius Berger (Nig.) Plc (JBN) to upscale their deployment of men, materials and machines, despite working throughout the Yuletide holidays. The project, a critical component of the South-South zone’s infrastructure development, is a 2-lane road with hard shoulders, 17 bridges spanning 3,200 meters and reinforced concrete pavement on Bonny Island.  At all construction sites visited, Engr. Umahi stressed the urgency to meet deadlines, emphasising that all Federal contractors must intensify their efforts to ensure the timely realisation of projects, in line with the Federal Government’s resolve to enhance infrastructure and transportation as enablers of growth, succinctly captured in the Renewed Hope Agenda. The essence is to improve connectivity, as well as stimulate socio-economic growth, he further explained. The Minister issued clear directives to Federal Controllers of Works to present at least four (4) completed projects, each, for commissioning from February to 20th May, this year. "The expectation is that every Controller delivers on his mandates, according to specifications and time allotted. There is no room for further delays," he declared. In light of the delay in the delivery of some projects, the Minister cautioned that the Ministry is poised to take decisive action. "The Ministry will not tolerate delays. Any contractor, who does not meet his contractual obligations, will face consequences, cumulating into a 14-day Notice of Termination of Contract," he added, emphasizing that such actions would apply to all underperforming contracts. Despite the challenges, he reassured Nigerians that His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR remains fully committed to the completion of inherited projects, as well as the four (4) Legacy Projects he initiated. “The President has not abandoned these projects. It is the contractors, who have delayed the work. This year, we will be stricter in ensuring that projects are completed on course,” he assured. Engr. Umahi guaranteed that the Ministry will continue to closely monitor all ongoing projects, ensuring that they align with President Tinubu’s vision for accelerated national growth and development. He concluded by calling for greater teamwork from all stakeholders in the management and delivery of road and bridge projects. "We all need to work together - government, contractors and the general public towards ensuring that deadlines are met. No contractor should collect government funds and fail to deliver on their promises. Henceforth, we will be more observant and take necessary actions towards ensuring the successful completion of these projects," he reasserted.   ...

SEN. UMAHI COMMENDS WORK PROGRESS ON LAGOS-CALABAR COASTAL HIGHWAY PROJECT, RECOUNTS PROSPECTS OF RENEWED HOPE LEGACY PROJECTS TO  NATION'S ECONOMIC PROSPERITY. -SAYS, PROJECT REVIEW ON AWARDED SECTIONS OF THE COASTAL HIGHWAY IMMINENT TO FACTOR ADJUSTMENT IN ALIGNMENT AND DELIVERABLES The progress and quality of work   being done on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project has been commended as a signature of excellence and innovation on road infrastructure development by the Renewed Hope administration of the President of Nigeria, His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR. This commendation was made by the Honourable Minister of Works, His Excellency Sen. Engr. Nweze David Umahi CON, when he paid inspection visits to Sections I and II of the project in Lagos being handled by Hitech Construction Company Ltd on 20th December 2024. Speaking on  the deliverables of the investment, the Honourable Minister stated that the contract would  be reviewed  to accommodate landmark features that would  add value to the socio-economic potentials of the project. "We're going to plant trees. And of course, we are going to also have some lay bay. We can decide every five kilometres we have a lay bay where we connect all our CCTV cameras. And then we have vehicles and the security within the cabin there, so that the response time will be like 10 minutes. I'm sure that you've witnessed what we did at Third Mainland Bridge. That's what we intend to replicate in all our highways. And so the entire stretch of 750 kilometers to Calabar will be under CCTV, powered by solar. And then every five kilometers or 10 or 15, as we may agree, we will have portal cabin where we have security posts, no blocking of the roads, we have a viewing centre, and then you view the entire stretch left and right. We will agree on the number of kilometers, depending on the capacity of the cameras." On the imperative of the contract review,  he further stated," The service lane was never envisaged, CCTV camera was never envisaged. There was no single item of work, like we're having in all the projects from the removal of topsoil, not to talk of the removal of debris. He praised the vision  of Mr. President in initiating legacy  projects that would  connect  the critical economic corridors and boost  transportation ecosystem in the 6 Geo- political Zones. He noted that the four Renewed Hope legacy projects and the inherited ongoing projects were on course and that milestone  project execution was adopted to ensure a sense of equality  among  the 6 Geo-Political Zones. He said that  some of the sections of the projects  being executed nationwide, including  the inherited ongoing projects, would  be ready for commissioning  by May 2025.  "Work is progressing on Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway. We have the Sokoto- Badagry Superhighway. Work is seriously in progress on the project. The first 120 km, work is going on Sokoto. It has been procured. And work is going on by Hitech, using concrete.  And then, you have the Kebbi section, 250 km. Work is also going on there. And so, we believe strongly that we'll be able to have about 20 km in both sections to commission by May 29th. In section one of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway in South West, we are very sure that we'll commission the first 20 km in section one and 10 km in section two." He commended the intervention of Mr. President in the area of funding  of the projects despite his interventions in other critical priority sectors of the economy. "The President has given very serious attention to road infrastructure. Don't forget that this Coastal Highway and, of course, the four Legacy Projects all have the train track incorporated. The construction of the train track for this section I is going to take off in 2025. So this is what we are doing. And we believe strongly that the President is going to give the nation of Nigeria the road infrastructure that they have been yearning for." Earlier in her welcome remarks, the Federal Controller of Works, Engr. Olukorede Kashia recounted the experiences encountered at the commencement of the project  but expressed confidence in the timely  delivery  of the project by  the contractor handling  the project. "We encountered a lot of issues which were not foreseen because they were really covered. Like I said earlier, when you're doing a preliminary design, you cannot do a borehole at every meter. So when you do, at one meter, you do another one at 20 meters. So, in the process of executing the project, we encountered a lot of refuse dumps. It was like this place was like Olushosun, where they dump dirt to the magnitude of about five meters depth in some places. And then the contractor has carted away all that and then replaced it with good soil. That's sand filling from the ocean, as you can see, good sand filling, and then we had to wait a little."  Others  who spoke during  the event were the Acting Director of Highways Road Design, Engr. Saidu Musa and the Managing Director of Hitech Construction Company Ltd, Dany Abboud   ...

FG COMMITTED TO EXECUTING PROJECTS THAT WILL BETTER THE LIVES OF NIGERIANS - GORONYO The Honourable Minister of State for Works, HMSW, Mohammad Bello Goronyo, Esq has reiterated the Federal Government’s unflinching commitment to providing quality infrastructure designed to improve the living conditions of the Nigerian people, through well thought out and strategically delivered projects. Goronyo made this statement on Tuesday, 17th December, 2024, at the official commissioning ceremony of solar- powered streetlights along Sultan Abubakar International Airport Road in Sokoto, Sokoto State, stating that, amongst other benefits, the streetlights will create visibility, improve the socioeconomic wellbeing of the community, ease travel stress on the road users, as well as mitigate security challenges. While also maintaining that the project is very strategic because it is both an entry point for travelers to Sokoto through the Airport and the fact that Sokoto is the coordinating nerve center of the adjoining states of Zamfara and Kebbi, the HMSW insisted that the commissioning aligns effectively with the vision of President  Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. He described the President as a committed, astute and patriotic leader, who is all out to ameliorate the living conditions of Nigerians, as well as to right the many wrongs of yester years. He congratulated the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and communities within the corridor for having the streetlights, also urged them to take ownership of the project and full advantage of the inherent opportunities. The Managing Director/CEO, Federal Road Management Agency (FERMA) Engr. Chukwuemeka Agbasi, described the project as iconic and of strategic importance to Sokoto, as it will enhance travel experience and the economic lives of the people being capable of prolonging their trading time. The Honourable Minister and the MD/CEO, thereafter, led other dignitaries and stakeholders to commission the Sokoto - Ilela Road, recently rehabilitated by FERMA. It is about 58 kilometres, linking Sokoto to the border town on the Nigeria-Niger Republic border. The Minister described the project as very strategic, as it is capable of providing employment opportunities, as well as curbing threats of insecurity. He, however, warned that the palliative works were done through taxpayers’ money, warning that Government will not continue to fold its arms, while road users, especially articulated vehicles damage it without paying. “Vehicles found damaging the roads will be impounded and made to pay for it before they are released, to serve as deterrent to others,” Goronyo further warned.   ...