By Seun Adams
The Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, on Wednesday said he was grossly disappointed over the poor state of Nigeria roads even as he said the roads largely contribute to the rampart road accident and kidnapping across the country.
Addressing a cross section of contractors from South-west at the Ministry’s Headquarters in Abuja, he said, after my inspection yesterday (Tuesday) along several sections of the failed Abuja-Lokoja road, he said several portions of that road are death trap.
Still expressing apprehension over the poor state of roads especially in South-west, he advised the contractors to fear GOD and to deliver projects that will meet the yearnings of Nigerians, adding, if you are given a contract, do it satisfactorily and well.
Kidnapping and accidents have become rampart because of the collapsed expressway roads across the country.
“Contractors should endeavour to do the right thing, because Nigerians blame politicians and leaders for the shoddy work they do.
“Federal Government borrows trillions of naira for infrastructure, yet quality of work is low delivered are more or less substandard.
The Minister was also worried over the Lokoja-Benin road, explaining that the road which would gulp several billion was awarded without engineering designs.
He urged the contractors to key into President Bola Tinubu’s renewed hope to allow Nigerians breath even as he said that many of the contractors may not be happy with his assessment of their jobs.
He said: “I’m a welfarest, don’t kill Nigerians with biro, you will still make profit when you deliver quality jobs. If you don’t appreciate me, GOD knows that I have done my best and Nigerians will see the work done
The Minister added that all files sent for No Objection on work perceived to have been will be critically subjected to review process to determine the extent of work completion
While exonerating leaders and politicians from the shady work done by contractors, he warned that he will henceforth cease certificates of substandard works, stressing that expatriates contractors do bad work in Nigeria as against what they done in their home country.
He however commended the Kogi State Governor, Mr. Yahaya Bello, for the supervision of a stretch of road carried out in the state.
