"We Have N431B Ready For Contractors." Umahi.... Says Works Ministry To Face Dualized Roads Across Nigeria

Senator Umahi during his meeting with contractors and handling road dualisation projects and all zonal Directors of the Ministry at the Ministry's HQter's office in Abuja, 

"We have N431B of money that is ready for contractors to clear but there is no certificate for it. If you are doing a job under Phase 1, make effort to make claims. If your job involves augmentation go back to your Regional Director for understanding before I sign the certificate, any certificate I sign now , I have to take account for it even when I have left office." Umahi.

The Honourable Minister of Works, Engr David Nweze Umahi has announced the Ministry’s intention to focus on most of the dualised roads across the country. 

In a statement issued and signed by Blessing Lere-Adams, Director Press and Public Relations Department of the Federal Ministry of Works, the Minister said; "Why we are here now is to announce our intention to face most of the dualised roads in the country.”

The Minister made this remarks while meeting with all contractors handling road dualisation projects and all zonal Directors of the Ministry at the Ministry's HQter's office in Abuja, today.

"I want to remind you that Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) is funding 50% percent of the contract sum and that funding goes up to 2025 “ He said.

Umahi said; “We have N431B of money that is ready for contractors to clear but there is no certificate for it. If you are doing a job under Phase 1, make effort to make claims. If your job involves augmentation, go back to your Regional Director for understanding before I sign the certificate, as any certificate I sign now, I have to take account for it even when I have left office."

The Minister tasked the contractors to stick to one lane if their job has not gone up to 50% completion; he said he had also come up with Performance Bond meaning that all new projects would be guaranteed for 10years. 

He urged all contractors that have built roads that cannot last up to ten years to write to the Ministry to either stop work or rebuild the road to last 10years, the  Minister warned contractors that he would not listen to stories of failures on the roads due to overloading, he enjoined all the contractors to cooperate with him on building roads with concrete technology as it was done both in India and Singapore.

Earlier, Engr. Umahi told the contractors and stakeholders to key into the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr President, he said this Administration has 18000 kilometre of roads and inherited a contract sum of about N14.1 trillion and out of which N4trillion is being paid in all those projects, some of the projects have lasted between 10 to 20years. 

The Minister said some contractors have jerked up the contractor sum by hundred percent and that is the reason they are not getting paid. 

“We are going back to the original concept of the projects and the necessity of any additional works and also see how we get a fair deal, expecting an endorsement from the Ministry of what is not acceptable to Nigerian Society of Engineers is not possible." The Minister said.

Engr. Umahi also confirmed that “Mr President understands road  infrastructure, If I come before him  with a contract of N44B reviewed to N144B contract sum, I must be able to provide details of how the cost came about."