The Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, has given contractors handling abandoned road projects a 14-day ultimatum to return to the site or face revocation of the contracts.
He disclosed this while briefing State House reporters at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, after a closed-door meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He also threatened to drag contractors ganging up against the use of concrete for road construction to the anti-crime agencies including the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences (ICPC).
Umahi, who said he would not succumb to the gang-up and blackmail from contractors, said President Tinubu had backed the use of concrete in reinforcement.
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The minister, who is an engineer, said some contractors had keyed into the policy just as major cement producers had agreed to discount prices for such government road builders.
Umahi warned contractors against the dodgy attitude of securing about 20 projects but ended up deploying as few as two units of equipment to the site.
He also threatened to flush out elements within the ministry who have been conniving with contractors to frustrate the government’s efforts at development.
Responding to questions from journalists after stating his reasons for meeting the President, the minister said those within the system, who are benefiting from those threatening him and the country over the new direction being taken by the administration have become a problem in the ministry.
He said the president had approved all the interventions requested on East-West Road, Benin-Sapele Road, Owerri-Onitsha Road, Lokoja, Shandam, Lafia, the third mainland bridge resurfacing and the underneath work, and the collapsed bridges, including the two in Enugu.
The minister added that a taskforce had been set up in all the locations where these approvals were made by Mr president to conclude all works based on their approvals within three months, adding that “We are also deploying consultants to supervise our roads. Our engineers will also be on sites to learn from experience. Mr. President has also given approval.
“Many of the contractors that NNPC paid have not gone to the site, some got N33 billion and have not been to sites. And I want the stakeholders to know that it is about our country, it’s about our children and this is very important.”
