Nigerian Minister of Works, Sen David Nweze Umahi in continuous assessment of the Nigerian roads has travelled by road from Abuja, through Kogi, Edo, Delta, Bayelsa up to Port Harcourt in Rivers State.
According to the statement released by the Ministry, the Minister also passed through the famous much talked East West road to inspect the progress of work on the highway by himself on Tuesday the 19th of September,2023.
He said, “I have invited all Directors of 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 Niger Delta Development Commission (NNDC) Managing Director this evening to find out how we can collaborate on this road”, the Minister added.
On the East West road he 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.
Umahi 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 activity in the state can improve.
He said “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 Representative 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 wont certify anything on this road , the road has failed and it is not acceptable to us. The road is full of pot holes, we have paid over N71b and the road has completely gone down, and the road has been further reviewed from N44b to 144b billion, apart from the beautiful bridge you have built.
“The road has completely gone down, 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 truck, 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 dividends of a democratic Government”, the Minister lamented.