Whereas the Minister of works, Chief Dave Umahi has made it clear that this current administration under President Bola Tinubu has given tacit approval for all new construction to be on concrete and not Asphalt, industry observers have developed fears that the cost of cement and iron rods may force contractors to cut corners.
Already checks between how concrete roads are done in Germany showed a marked difference in the volume of iron rods used for the foundation platform for the interest of tensile force and durability.
Umahi had in a recent event urged all contractors that had built roads that could not last up to 10 years to write to the ministry to either stop work or rebuild the road to last 10 years.
The minister warned contractors that he would not listen to stories of failures on the roads due to overloading.
He urged them to cooperate with him in building roads with concrete technology as it was done both in India and Singapore.
Umahi also told the contractors and stakeholders to key into the ‘Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr President’.
The Minister of Works, David Umahi, disclosed this, while meeting with contractors handling road dualisation projects and zonal directors of the ministry at its office in Abuja on Thursday.
The minister also announced the ministry’s intention to focus on most of the dualised roads across the country.
Umahi said he had also come up with a performance bond, which meant that all new projects would be guaranteed for 10 years.
He said, “Why we are here now is to announce our intention to face most of the dualised roads in the country.
“I want to remind you that Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation is funding 50 per cent of the contract sum and that funding goes up to 2025.
Speaking through the Director of Information, Press and Public Relations Unit, Blessing Lere-Adams, Umahi, further urged the contractors to stick to one lane if their job had not gone up to 50 per cent completion.
