In an interview on Channels Television, Minister of Works Dave Umahi confidently declared that the roads he oversaw construction for in Ebonyi State are built to last, requiring no maintenance for an impressive half-century.
Umahi, the former governor of Ebonyi State, stressed the significance of considering Nigeria’s climate conditions when developing roads. He insisted on maintaining high-quality standards throughout the construction process.
Notably, Umahi expressed concern about ongoing projects suffering premature deterioration. He cited an instance involving the Abuja-Lokoja Road, where he personally witnessed the asphalt melting due to subpar quality. This, he said, poses a significant risk, especially for drivers traveling at high speeds.
“I also noticed that some of the projects, while you are still on the roads, they have gone bad. When I was on Abuja-Lokoja Road, I discovered that the asphalt was flowing. And if you enter that road with speed, that is the end of such a person,” Umahi added.
“I did 3,500 kilometres of concrete road in Ebonyi State, and it is maintenance-free. For 50 years, you would not maintain it.”
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He said: “I have directed that all the ‘no objections’ my ministry submitted to the BPP be returned. We need to look at the new method of constructing our roads based on our climate”.
Acknowledging the government’s commitment to funding quality road construction, Umahi further emphasized the administration’s goal of reducing construction costs.
He also had a direct message for contractors, urging them to prioritize the nation’s progress. He assured them that while their profits would be preserved, they should align with the government’s vision of establishing durable infrastructure.
“We are looking at all these things. How do we cut down costs? Because the primary issue is also the cost of construction,” he said.
“We are looking at the figures but it looks like a lot of contractors are not willing, but I will make them to make the change, we are all engineers.
“I am telling them your profit, I will protect whatever thing you want to make but, let’s help Nigeria, let’s build a road that will last and the funny thing is that the government,the President will give out the money.”