By Emmanuella Oghenetega
The Minister of Works, Engr Nweze David Umahi, has declared an emergency on the dualization of Suleja-Minna road.
He stated, that “Mr. President was concerned by the deplorable state of the road and directed that urgent action be taken to fix the road to restore the confidence of the road users.”
He maintained that the contractor, Messrs. Salini Nigeria Ltd was responsible for the failure in the delivery of the project on time and in specification. He added that the termination of the job due to non-performance is irrevocable.
Umahi, accompanied by the Minister of State for Works, Bello Muhammad Goronyo, the Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Barr. Onyekachi Peter Nwebonyi, and many others, in the inspection visit to Section I of Abuja-Kaduna- Zaria-Kano federal road,
expressed delight by the progress and quality of work being done by the contractor handling the project, Infiouest International Limited.
A development, which he stated, had vindicated the Federal Ministry of Works’ decision to severe the contract with Julius Berger Nigeria Ltd due to cost differentials.
He praised the commitment of the President in ensuring speedy and quality delivery of the project. “Let me say that I am very grateful to Mr. President for the support in the reconstruction of this project. When we terminated this project because of the cost differences between the Ministry of Works and Julius Berger, it became a very big challenging task for me.
But without the support of the President, it would have been very difficult to redeem my integrity. Today, I can say that my integrity and that of the Ministry of Works have been redeemed by the quality of work that Infiouest is doing.”
Recounting the additional work approved by President Tinubu within the route of the project and the quality of work being done by the contractor, he said, ” In section I, which is 38 kilometres plus section II, which is 40 by 2, 80 kilometres, we have completed over 11 kilometres with reinforced concrete pavement. You need to see this road before now.
We are pulverising. We are putting a stone base, about 80-inch stone base. We are putting a cement to mix it and compact it. We are putting Y-20 reinforcement. We have it in bridges and then a 20-cm intervals, and then we are putting a 16-millimetre reinforced concrete with wires, and then we are completing 200-millimetre reinforced concrete grade 40. And so we have completed 11 kilometers.”
The impression of the public on the government’s efforts to complete the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano project was aptly captured in the words of the Minister of State for Works when he was commending the stalwart of PDP, who came to see for himself the extent of work done on the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano road project.
“This is something that is new in our politics because people in opposition stay in their comfort zones, and they criticize the government without knowing what is happening there. But you took your time to join my Minister, the working Minister of Works, to see for yourself and appreciate what the government of the President is doing in this country. Let me commend you highly for your patriotism and your vision for this country. I had an opportunity to discuss with you when we were coming to this place, and I saw that your passion and your commitment are for a greater and one Nigeria.”
