By Hillary Asemota
The former Secretary to the Government of the Federation and former Senate President, Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim, the Deputy Chief Whip, who is also the Deputy Chairman Public Accounts and member, Works Committee of the 10th Senator, Senator Onyekachi Nwaebonyi, and the former National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, have roundly commended the Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, for his tenacity in delivery world class road infrastructure for the country and changing the hitherto ugly narratives on Nigerian roads.
The trio who spoke separately after accompanying the Minister on road inspections across the South-east and South-south roads noted: “I want to remind you that the day the Minister took oath of office, he had a reception and I chaired it and I reassured Nigerians that he would exceed their expectations.
I think this trip is a follow-up to that assurance to satisfy myself that he’s actually exceeding expectations. And I can tell you that it’s amazing.
The former Senate President, said: “His passion, his expertise impacts the design, the quality, the speed, the durability, and, in fact, impacts the style of project implementation.”
Nwaebonyi, on his part, said, “This is what we were lacking before, like he said here, he is not an office Minister.”
He added that it is a delight to a Nigerian Minister moves from site to site to ensure that the jobs are done according to specification, explaining that hat is what we want in this country, and I want to commend President Bola Tinubu for finding him worthy for the appointment.
While still pouring encomium on the Minister, the former National Publicity Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, said: “I want to state clearly, publicly what I have seen in the past two days. In the last two days, I have witnessed things that I never knew were possible on the issue of road construction in Nigeria, especially on these roads. I’ve gone with the Minister. I have seen, I’ve been satisfied.
I feel that it is a question of a round peg in a round hole. Our request, Mr. President, is that the hope is real, and as long as the Minister is in charge, he’s being supported, he’s being funded, the President is going to write his name in gold in the annals of our history for generations to come.
According to the former PDP Spokesperson, this will be a reference point about what he has done on our roads in the entire country. It’s a legacy project for Nigerians. I want to state that the most important thing is not only the quality of the roads that we have seen but the fact that it’s being done with the lowest amount of money. What the Minister is saving the country, saving from the budget, saving the nation on the instruction of Mr. President is unquantifiable.
Meanwhile, the Special Adviser on Media to the Minister of Works, Barr. Orji Uchenna Orji, in a statement, said that as part of efforts to secure the future of Nigeria and guarantee her progressive march to economic prosperity through the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, the Minister has expressed its unequivocal commitment in building everlasting road infrastructure with the most effective design at the lowest possible cost.
Orji, said the Minister made the disclosure, during his inspection visit to the rehabilitation of Enugu-Port Harcourt dual carriageway section IV (Aba-Port Harcourt) handled by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation Ltd (CCECC) over the weekend.
He said the Minister who was accompanied by a member of the Senate Committee on Works and Deputy Chief Whip of the 10th Senate, and other leaders across political divide from South-east said his Ministry reinvigorated initiatives include design and cost effectiveness, speed and standard of job delivery as well as innovations that would guarantee zero maintenance and durability of road infrastructure in Nigeria.
The Minister however urged contractors to always consider the sufferings of the road users as they set up their work plans, adding that he enjoined contractors to ensure that the roads they are working are made passable for commuters during the rainy season.
On the section being handled by CCECC, he directed, “We will not accept anything less than two to three sections working.
“And I’ve given 7 days for this particular lane, that is, the upper bound lane to be totally repaired, to ameliorate the sufferings of the commuters.
“I feel for them very highly. When you go through this road, you now need to take a number of painkillers. It’s not desirable.
“So I’m begging CCECC, the controller, and engineers to do everything possible in the next seven days and create a smooth sail on this right-hand side.”
He further said, “I want to thank the President, so much. He has done a lot in our road infrastructure. He’s a man who wants all the roads to be completed as soon as possible.
“But let me assure him that I’m doing the best that I can with the fear of God and with commitment to his Renewed Hope agenda, which we all embraced.
He continued, “And just only two days back, with these leaders, we went to Asaba to look at the design of the bypass of the second Niger Bridge, and we went to Onitsha. And by that singular movement, we saw that the design was defective and we agreed on a new kind of design.
“That was how we saved the country over N300 billion by that singular movement to that location.”
The Minister who also visited the Upgrading of the 15km section of the East-West road section III: (Port Harcourt – Eleme Junction to Onne Junction in Rivers State) handled by RCC, the rehabilitation of Enugu- Port Harcourt Expressway Section 3, Enugu-Lokpanta handled by CGC and the rehabilitation work at the collapsed bridge site at the New Artisan Bridge near NNPC mega fillings station Enugu Capital City, Enugu State, expressed satisfaction with the job being done but charged contractors to step up their pace to cover a milestone ahead of the rainy season.
On the project along Eleme refinery road, he said: “We are upgrading the 15km road between Eleme flyovers to Onne junction.
“We are starting with excavation to fill all the failed sections to make them stable. And when we get to where stable, we build up the boulders. After boulders, we put up sharp sand, and after the sharp sand, we compact.
“After the compaction, we put the first layer of stone base, 20cm first layer that will build up against another 10cm of stone base, we compact.
“After compacting, we leave it out for the traffic. So that it gets maximum compaction. After that, we put 10 cm with 5% cement to stabilize it and make it very strong. That will make the road very stable and it will last for a long time.
“The leaders from South-east, who accompanied the Minister, thanked the President for appointing a round peg in a round hole and for taking a bold and reassuring step to recover the economy of the country.”
While, the Deputy Chief Whip, added, that “This is the very first time an expert is leading this ministry, and I want to assure Nigerians that very soon, they will see the difference in all our projects.”
“And for the two days we’ve been on the road, it’s been like never before.
“And I want to say that I am proud that he is exceeding expectations. And I want to say that I have been vindicated that the President did not make any mistake. Again, I want to reemphasize, like my brother, there is a case of square peg in a square hole. Thank you, Mr. President.”