Works Minister Passes Vote Of No Confidence On The East-West Road Construction. .... Invites FERMA Directors In Akwa Ibo Ibomm, Edo, Delta and Bayelsa States Over Failures

Aerial view

"I am passing A VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE  on the construction of this road. I will not certify anything on this road as the road has failed and it is not acceptable to us.  The road is full of pot-holes and we have paid over N71b and the road has completely gone down." Engr Umahi.

"The road has been further reviewed from N44b to 144b billion and this is apart from the beautiful bridge you have built."

The Honourable Minister of Works, H.E Sen (Engr) David Nweze Umahi in his continuous assessment of the roads across the nation, has travelled by road from Abuja, through Kogi, Edo, Delta, Bayelsa and up to Port Harcourt in Rivers State through the famous much talked about  East West road to personally, inspect the progress of work on the highway.

The Minister, during the tour on Tuesday the 19th of September, 2023. said: “I have invited all the Directors of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) with their engineers from Edo, Delta, Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom. They should be able to attend to the small failures and redeem all the places that failed on the road and I will hold a meeting with the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) this evening to find out how we can collaborate on this road,” a statement from the Director, Information (Press and Public Relations) Unit, Mrs Blessing Lere-Adams disclosed.

On the East West road, the Minister said he had discussed with the Edo State Governor that the East West road passed through his state and that was what is causing the traffic jams and hold up.

He said they have to design a bye-pass, so that the heavy trucks can stop moving through the town. 

"It is by so doing that the gridlock can be  stopped and business activities in the state can improve."

Umahi further said that, “We have to look at our constituency projects to see how our constituency projects can be meaningful  and impactful and I will be discussing this with the leadership of the House of Representatives and the Senate.“ 

While berating SETRACO Construction Company working on the East-West road,  the Minister said; “the gimmicks the contractors are using is excuse of  overloading.

"I am passing A VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE  on the construction of this road. I will not certify anything on this road as the road has failed and it is not acceptable to us.  The road is full of pot-holes and we have paid over N71b and the road has completely gone down. The road has been further reviewed from N44b to 144b billion and this is apart from the beautiful bridge you have built. 

"The road has completely gone down. Mr Project Manager, tell your team to meet me in Abuja on Monday to tell me what has caused the failure on the road. I do not accept it is overloading trucks. Our roads are not properly being constructed and I demand that these roads must be properly constructed. It is a fight that Nigerians must win and Mr. President must win this fight for the sake of the Nigerian people to truly enjoy the dividends of a democratic Government."