…Senate C’ttee Backs Umahi over Moves to hold Contractors Accountable for Road Failure
By Dele Ogbodo
Members of the Senate Committee on Works on Thursday threw their weight behind the Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, for his patriotic zeal on the Renewed Hope Agenda on road infrastructure and for his fearless move in revoking underperforming agreements entered into with contractors on Federal roads across the country.
In a sweeping commendation, the Senators led by their arrowhead and who is Chairman of the Senate Committee, Senator Barinada Mpigi, acknowledged the Minister for ensuring that public funds are redirected to more capable contractors as according to him this reflect an unwavering commitment to the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
The development came to fore on Thursday in an investigative hearing by the Senate Committee on contractors’ slow pace of work on the Odukpani-Aba-Odukpani-Ikot Ekpene and other sections ending at Benin, Edo State.
The others include the Odukpani-Itu Highway, the Eket Bypass, Port Harcourt-Ahoada, Ahoada-Kaiama, and Port Harcourt-Onne Junction Sections of the East-West Road, carried out by the committee on which held at the Senate building on Thursday (5th December) 2024.
The Chairman commended the bold steps of President Tinubu, in tackling the challenges that have inhibited road infrastructure development in the country.
The meeting had in attendance members of the committee, the Minister with his management team and concerned contractors including, CCECC, RCC, SAMATECH, GITTO and SETRACO, the Senate committee Chairman stated that the Senate is prepared to fully back actions that hold contractors accountable and put an end to practices that delay the impact of this administration’s infrastructure delivery goals.
He maintained that Nigerians deserve nothing short of the best in our road infrastructure deliverables and urged stakeholders to uphold their responsibilities in this regard.
He commended the Federal Ministry of Works for the technical innovations they have brought to the construction industry and warned that it was no longer business as usual for contractors to collect tax payers’ money and would delay in completing the projects they contracted to do or do a substandard job.
He said, “In addition to his technical innovations, Umahi, has demonstrated remarkable decisiveness in identifying and addressing non-performing contracts.
“His actions in revoking underperforming agreements and ensuring that public funds are redirected to more capable contractors reflect a deep commitment to the Renewed Hope Agenda of this administration.
“This agenda prioritizes infrastructure as the backbone of economic revitalization, and we, in the Senate, will support every step taken to ensure its success.” He decried the hardship contractors’ behaviour has caused road users.
“This deplorable condition has resulted in devastating consequences. Precious lives have been lost, not just on the highway but also among those forced to seek alternative routes through treacherous river crossings.
“The tragic accident near the Mini Itu bridgehead in Odukpani Local Government Area, which claimed five lives, is a stark reminder of the urgency of this issue.”
He warned that the era of such behaviours of contractors had gone. “Contractors, including RCC, have received substantial funds, including the N15 billion that was injected into this project, yet delivery remains elusive.
According to him, the other stretch of the East-west road has contractors like RCC, Setraco, and Gitto who have been paid billions, yet the pace of work is far from acceptable.
Speaking during the event, the Minister thanked the Senate leadership, Senate Committee on Works and indeed the 10th NASS for placing a watch on the contractors to ensure value for money, speedy and quality delivery of all the road projects of this administration.
Umahi, commended President Tinubu for giving priority attention to the completion of the inherited ongoing projects and for the vision that informed the initiative to construct the 4 Legacy projects cutting across the 6 Geo-Political Zones.
He noted the impediments to the execution of the ongoing projects but assured that Mr. President was tackling the situation, adding: “It’s very rare for a President to come on board, and he decided to ignore new projects and decided to take on all the inherited projects and do them at the same time. It’s very rare.”
On funding, he said, “And we have a country where we want to make an omelet, but we don’t want to strike an egg. The projects of roads cannot and will never be executed to the satisfaction of the public by using budgetary allocations.
While advocating for different funding approach, he added that these different kinds of funding must have to come from either bond or loan to do the job.
Umahi, added: “But the public is saying, no, the President is taking a loan. But, the President is taking a loan to invest in infrastructure development. And that’s what every developed country follows.”
On the Odukpani-Aba-Odukpani-Ikot Ekpene road, the Minister said: “And so we modified it and then put stronger sub-base and then we increased the thickness of the asphalt pavement so that we can finish the existing pavement as quickly as possible.
“But the new carriageway, if we have money, will be done on the rigid pavement. This is the reason. And so we have to agree with them. They have to make a promise before the Senate that they will mobilize on three sections doing exactly the same work.”
Meanwhile, the Special Adviser (Media) to the Minister, Barr. Orji Uchenna Orji, while analyzing the impact of the Senate investigative hearing on the matter, in a statement said the committee on Works has given Julius Berger Plc ultimatum to appear before it as soon as possible.
This was in a motion moved and adopted during the hearing resolved that it would have no option than to issue a warrant of arrest on Julius Berger Plc should it fail to appear before it as scheduled.
He said: “Moving the motion, a member of the committee, Mr. Asuquo Ekpenyong, said, “Messrs. Julius Berger Nigeria Limited is not here. Now, my understanding is that the company bidded, was selected, and awarded this job.
“Funds from taxpayers across this country were disbursed to them. Our understanding is that they showed up on site for a brief period and have since abandoned the site.
“It is our collective resolve as a committee that under the new Minister’s rule, Julius Berger should be produced to this committee in 24 hours by 2 p.m, the 6th of December, 2024, a failure of which will lead to our invoking our constitutional powers and issuing a warrant of arrest on Messrs. Julius Berger Nigeria Plc.”
