FG mulls changing of procurement process for award of road contracts

…Says contractors have no good intention

By Chris Ochayi

The Federal Government has said that for Nigerians to have value for all money spent on road projects, procurement process for award of contracts must be changed .

Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, who stated this while leading some stakeholders on inspection tour of some ongoing road construction works in Edo and Delta States respectively on Monday, said Nigeria cannot move forward with current procurement status in place .

The minister lamented that most of the contractors handling road projects have no good intention as they don’t have enough personnel that are qualified to execute projects to meet desired standard.

Meanwhile, Engr. Umahi has ordered the contractor handling the some highway projects linking Edo and Delta States in Benin , Levant Congratulation Company to immediately commence maintenance work on the Benin-Sapele road and make the bad portions motorable within 30 days.

according to the Minister, “we have directed them to immediately maintain the road , we are redesigning the road irrespective of the fact that they have gotten advance payment , we are redesigning the road on concrete , We have agreed with the commissioner of Works and Bridges in Edo State that the drains should be opened so that the water can go out in order for the contractor to maintain the road, I am giving the contractor 7days to come up with the new design so that we all look at it together”

He added that, “ I have looked at the road projects from Abuja to Benin City , the intention of the past administration all the way from Abuja to Benin City , very wonderful intention I commend the initiative but Nigerians do not have value for all money spent on the roads, I was on the road for 14hours with all the securities attached to me and if I could be on the road for 14hours imagine what ordinary Nigerians are passing through without security , this is not acceptable “.

“Unless we change our procurement process, this country cannot move forward . I am very happy that Mr President is a man of infrastructure , he is a man that knows how every aspect of this country will be reset , I am very happy about that , and I will do everything within my power to support him” Umahi told the states stakeholders.

He said , “On the side of the contractors there are no good intentions , they don’t have enough personnel that are qualified.

“I have just directed that every project must have a Council for the Regualtion of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN )registered engineer to be the project manager for all contracts for every company on the road and the person must not have less than 15years on road construction and I have also directed that we shall no more do surface dressing on our road shoulders.

“I have directed that all projects must stop and be redesigned on concrete , the truth is that non of these roads that are built from Abuja to Benin will last more than 5years and that is very unfortunate , roads are failing because most of the contractors don’t do what is called penetration test.

“We also have adulterated bitumen , the bitumen imported into this country are adulterated , they should go to Ondo and Ogun State and develop our abundant bitumen there “

“We don’t want to put anybody out of business but we must develop our economy, they should employ our engineers; material engineers, geo technical engineers, surveyors, structural engineers and road engineers , every project should not have less than seven professionals supervising it for Ministry of Works.

“We are going to reset our road construction so that the people can smile again under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu” the Minister reiterated.

The Deputy Governor of Delta State, Chief (Sir) Monday John Onyeme after touring Benin –Sapele –Warri road , Sapele Roundabout , ongoing dualisation of Sapele –Ewu road , Sapele – Agbor road and Nigerian Port Authority roads in Delta State with the Minister at a press briefing told the Minister, “Thank you for coming to see for yourself the importance of caring to do these roads , I do know that you have been tested , we have no fear that you will do it .

“We assure you of Delta State support and we will give you 100% cooperation.”

Earlier in Benin, a community group known as Sapele Road Bypass Axis Group ( SARBAR) , through its Association General Secretary Pastor Moses Omo- Osagiede said “ We are happy with the visit of the Honourable Minister to Edo State on road inspection and we do hope that the maintenance work will be done quickly”

Similarly , a bus driver Mr Emmanuel Felix who volunteered to speak onbehalf of other drivers who ply Sapele Road Bypass Axis and the Benin –Sapele –Warri road regularly said “ we hope with the inspection of the road by the Minister and this team , the contractor will do a good job and not their usual fake road works.”