FG INTRODUCES NEW PROCESSES ON ROAD CONTRACTS AND PAYMENTS .... "We Will No Longer Accept Road Contact Certificate For Payment Generated By One Person," Umahi

R-L Director Highway South South, Engr C.A Ogbuagu, The Hon.Minister of Works, H.E. Sen (Engr) David Nweze Umahi, CON during the inspection of the Dualization of East–West Road, Section IV: Eket–Oron Road in Akwa Ibom State on the 20th, September, 2023

"How could a Payment Certificate be given for a road that has failed and the contractor is on site and you turn around to blame the leaders; who signed the papers? Umahi queries.

"No one will make unnecessary request during road construction.".... Eleme LGA Chairman.

The Honourable Minister of Works, Engr David Nweze Umahi has warned that the Federal Government will no longer accept Road Contract Certificate for payment generated by one person.

A statement made available to naijnewsalert.com.ng signed by the Director, Information (Press & Public Relations) Unit of the Ministry, Blessing Lere-Adams revealed that the Minister gave this assertion while inspecting some roads within Rivers and Akwa Ibom States on Wednesday. 

According to the Honourable Minister of Works, "No longer will Certificate for Payment be generated by one person. The contractor must sign it including the Resident Engineer as well as the State Controllers, Regional Controllers. They will all ensure inspections are done. The State Commissioners of Works shall generate work done, prepare the certificate with calculations and geotechnical reports, sketches and valuation, then they will bring it to me. The moment I see that things are working, I will sign within 6hours."

Briefing journalists during the inspection tour, The Minister said; "I have directed that any project that motor users cannot go through the entire length and breadth of the project awarded to a contractor, I will not sign the certificate. Contractors must maintain all the roads; the length and breath within their contract and I am directing the Controllers and Directors of the Regions to ensure between Abuja and Port Harcourt, they must fix the remedial works within the next 14days." 

"How could a Payment Certificate be given for a road that has failed and the contractor is on site and you turn around to blame the leaders; who signed the papers? He queried.

"You signed the paper and originate the certificate but, I have directed that enough is enough. They must show me how increase in our contracts come about. Anyone can sign a paper for them to pay but as for me I will not sign anything that I don’t know how it came about. If you want to do ashphalt continue with it but you must sign a Performance Bond that the road must not fail within the life time of the project. I want Nigerians to know that overloading is not responsible for failure of the road. Most of the contractors have jobs in more than ten locations with two equipment so they cannot cope with the volume of jobs."

The Minister also directed that, any Contractor without COREN Certified Engineer must not be allowed to work even as he warned that, any consultant or civil servant that behaved the way they have been behaving, will have their certificate withdrawn.

Umahi stressed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is determined to end the  sufferings of the road users in Nigeria, saying that; "road is everything to this country. The standard of the road is everything to Commerce, Solid Mineral, Medicine, Education, Agriculture and to Food Security."

When approached by youths of Eleme, in Rivers state during his inspection tour of the road for its upgrading from four lanes to six lanes for the Eleme junction to Onne junction road projects, the Minister promised them that he would work with the youths to ensure that the road does not remain the same.

Earlier, the Eleme Local Government Area Chairman, Hon. Obarilomate Ollor who spoke on behalf of the youths said; "I thank the Minister for coming to inspect this road on behalf of Mr President. This bad road has been responsible for the untimely death of so many people and more that ten thousands vehicles ply this route daily, and from what you have said, the youths will cooperate with you to deliver this project and we will not make unnecessary request."

Some of the projects inspected by the  Minister in Rivers and Akwa Ibom states included, Aba- Port Harcourt road, Bodo Bonny road, Ogoni bridge, the Reconstruction of Abak–Ekparakwa-Ette- Ikot Abasi road and the dualisation of the East West Road Section IV at Eket By Pass.