Contractors working on federal highways have been handed a strict 14-day deadline by Senator David Umahi, the Minister of Works, to remobilise their staff and machinery to the project locations, with the threat of contract termination looming for those who do not comply.
The minister issued this notice during a Wednesday meeting in Abuja with all contractors in charge of federal road projects.
He stressed that non-compliance with the directive and failure to meet the deadline would result in the removal and replacement of contractors.
Contractors were also urged by Umahi to abstain from impeding the government’s progress towards implementing concrete technology in lieu of asphalt.
Stressing the importance of concrete road construction, he noted that the President had successfully executed a concrete road project in Lagos.
‘He reminded me about this yesterday. I believe Nigerians will support us on the fact that when you do this asphalt there should be a guarantee on it.’
‘We have discussed the construction equipment and directed that at least every 30 kilometres, there should be minimum of equipment of eight dossier.’
‘Two graders, four excavators, 20 trailers and other construction equipment in line with active site works operations. Nigerians should have one road that is very good,’ Umahi said.
Additionally, he asserted that the current effort to adopt concrete technology will continue unabated, unless he is no longer in office as a minister.
He pledged to take stringent action against contractors who deceive both the Federal Government and Nigerians by providing substandard asphalt thickness, thus depriving them of their money’s worth.
‘You contractors cheat us on the thickness of asphalt. The bitumen imported are of bad quality and then you start putting enhancer and modifier. We do not want that again, there is no such thing overseas. Use the type of asphalt used abroad.’
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‘I believe I have called enough meetings on this issue and we must move forward. Let me advise contractors that are meeting and have ganged up. We have learnt that some of you want to sabotage me to prove that concrete is not good.’
‘That is a lie, concrete is very good. Go to Lagos sea port and see what the contractor is doing. Go to my state to see what I did. The roads are still there and very good on concrete.’
‘It is not useful to you because there is no meeting that wil make us back down on the principles and policy of the Ministry of Works. This policy has been set in motion and will only stop if I am removed from office by Mr President.’
‘Even this morning, the directors met and increased the price and I accepted it. The price is only for Trunk A. Trunk B and C will not enjoy that price because it is going to be on a different design,’ he said.
Consequently, he implored contractors to cease pestering him with price quotations, noting that the Federal Government has fixed the prices and will not reconsider them.
The minister, who pointed fingers at certain contractors for obstructing his campaign against concrete roads in favor of asphalt, went on to say that contractors with four projects to their name would no longer be considered for bidding on advertised job opportunities.
‘Henceforth, any company that has four projects with the ministry of works will not get another project until it finishes the one awarded. Mr President just approved 60 projects and we will start the designing and the profiling.’
‘So if you can finish your jobs quickly, you will be part of the bidding but if you cannot finish your job, you cannot bid and we would not differentiate between expatriate and local contractors.’
‘The house must submit to the new policy of the Federal Ministry of Works,’ he said.
Going into more detail, the minister highlighted that asphalt roads would encounter changes limited to just five percent.
‘Also, let me announce that we are going to deploy strict measures. Every contractor going back to the site must give us a programme of work.’
‘The ministry would not process your certificate without a programme of work. Contractors that want variation of price must prove what basis led to an increase in contract quantity. Without these steps, there is no payment.’
‘Condition number two for the use of asphalt is the five per cent variation on price and if you have exhausted your 5 per cent already, You cannot enjoy another five per cent.’
‘Inflation on asphalt work is on geometric progression. Price is increasing every day and there is no money to pay for these increases,’ Umahi said.