By Daniel Tyokua
The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi has called on contractors handling road projects for the Ministry to hasten up work on the respective roads in the country.
He said Nigerians are tired of bad roads and cannot continue to endure the game playing of the contractors.
Umahi disclosed this during a meeting with contractors, partners and strategic stakeholders in the Works Sector in Abuja on Wednesday.
The Minister expressed displeasure over where asphalt used is been sourced from, with research showing that the importation of butimen into the Country is not up to five percent.
Umahi said enough is enough that Nigerians are tired of game playing, that they want to see good 10km of good roads.
He directed the contractors handling the road projects to return to the site within 14 days.
The Minister said failure to comply with the directive would lead to the termination of such a contract.
Umahi also disclosed that any contractor with four projects will not be issued additional project(s) until the ongoing projects are completed and delivered.
He called on contractors to desist from saying what will be done, rather they should do what is expected of them.
“It is my ability to pay you and it’s your ability to do the work that is what matters”
Umahi directed that letters be issued to all contractors against having any negations on their contacts rather to go back to site and do a permanent work.
He said there would not be processing of certificate or payment of mobilisation fee to contractors who failed to obey the rules.
“If you want me to pay your mobilisation fee or process your certificate, please obey first. We want to know how you got your POP, how your POP probably occurred in labour, we want to know how much you spent on diesel that is used in production of asphalt, in doing the work, so we want to know what the contractor is doing, we most know so that we can find out how we can come in to help.
“No program of work, no processing of your certificate and certification of your POP and if there’s increase in your contract you have to let us know how.
“So if you are waiting for payment, I will not pay, if you are waiting for certificate to be signed I will not do it. The truth is, it’s our right to ask so that if I’m signing any certificate am bound to explain. So if they sue me it is not the Directors, Please give me the privilege to preserve my future by allowing me know, if I carry the Bible or the Qur’an I will be able to say I know about it” he added.
Umahi also hinted on engaging retired police officers in communities where the road projects are ongoing to help in providing adequate security for the expatriates
