Dave Umahi, the Minister of Works, confirmed that the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway is scheduled to be fully operational by November.
While being interviewed on the Channels Television show, Politics Today, Umahi mentioned the project’s financial obstacles, which he expressed his intention to resolve through discussions with President Bola Tinubu.
He said, ‘Let’s give it November. We may have a little bit of challenges on funding but it is something that I intend to discuss with Mr President.’
Moreover, the minister asserted that the Federal Government’s inability to transfer funds allocated for one project to another, citing an outstanding balance of N18bn yet to be settled.
‘The funding is coming from the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund programme. Right now, we have a balance of N18bn on that axis to pay. The stringent condition is that you cannot take funds that are meant for one project to do the other one.’
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During his address on Wednesday, Umahi advised foreign contractors to abstain from undermining the Federal Government’s progress in implementing concrete road technology in Nigeria, highlighting the essential role of concrete in road construction.
He said, ‘You contractors cheat us on the thickness of asphalt. The bitumen imported is of bad quality and then you start putting enhancer and modifier. We don’t want that again, there is no such thing overseas. Use the type of asphalt used abroad.’
‘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 seaport and see what the contractor is doing.’
He boasted, ‘Go to my state to see what I did. The roads are still there and perfect on concrete. It is very not useful to you because there is no meeting that will 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.’