Any contractor who builds substandard road will replace it – Umahi

Minister of Works, David Umahi, has said that contractors who fail to meet the standards would be made to reconstruct the road projects.

Umahi stated this during an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today.

He said that he was suspecting that bitumen being imported into the country was adulterated.

When asked about the opposition on concrete road projects, Umahi said, “It’s not everybody that has opposed it. But the majority of the contractors opposed it. They have been doing meetings and meetings.

• NASFAT meets UK Envoy, seeks collaboration to advance humanity
• Reactions as Davido, wife welcome twins

“They want to frustrate me with high prices, but I am wiser than that. There is so much pressure on our naira, And the bitumen being imported into the country I don’t know whether it’s adulterated.

“Right now I am testing all the asphalt work done for us. And if any falls short of the accepted standard, the contractor will replace it. If we pay money to a contractor to do some work, it’s our right to make sure the work is done. I believe they have their own agenda.”

Umahi added that contractors of road projects must give a 15-year guarantee.

He added, “PPP is the most sustainable model for contracts in Nigeria, but people must have confidence in the sustainability of the roads.

“Using concrete to construct these roads will be less expensive. There are some contracts that have been awarded but the contractors have not yet mobilized and the prices have gone up. I said that I will not sign. If you want to do asphalt you must give us guarantee that the road will last for 15 years.”