By Mashe Umaru Gwamna
Minister of Works, David Umahi, has said N217billion would be required to fund 260 road projects across Country .
Umahi made this known while inaugurating four committees for the supervision of the reconstruction of the Benin-Warri dual carriageway, and the dualiasation of East-West Road Section 11: Port Harcourt (Eleme Junction)-Onne Port Junction roads in River state, yesterday in Abuja .
He also announced that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had approved funds for the rehabilitation of the Third Mainland Bridge, saying that his ministry would soon communicate the same to the Lagos State Government.
The minister, who also vowed that he would not do any variation of price on asphalt any longer, lamented that the price of bitumen, which was N576,000 per tonne when he assumed office, had gone up to N1m.
He said: “Let me also advise our contractor that no new project under my leadership will be done on asphalt. We are doing all our projects on concrete. Let it be known that it is our policy. Any contractor that can’t cope, is not compulsory.
“On the ongoing projects, if you have done 80 percent, we expect the contractors to complete it without asking for an increment. All ongoing projects have a 6tn funding gap and we can’t increase our projects.
“We will not do any variation of price on asphalt any longer. When I came into the office, bitumen was N576,000 per tonne, today the same product is N1m. I won’t attend FEC meetings asking for variations. Our contractors can now understand that we are not insisting that we will not do this for ongoing projects but that society is demanding for sustainability and integrity of the work you are doing.
“Let me graciously announce that the ministry contacted Mr. President on 260 projects that need very immediate and quick intervention across the federation. The projects were from the motions of the National Assembly, the outcry of the public, and compilations from our controllers of our states and the total cost is N217bn.
On the terms of the committees, he said: “The committees we are inaugurating are not just to maintain the road. They are to implement the contract signed by our contractors. We are giving very serious attention to the roads between Benin and Warri, and the road between Eleme and Onne Port Junction roads in River State.
