Umahi instructs contractors to redesign failed sections of S/East highways using concrete.

David Umahi, Minister of Works, has directed contractors working on the Enugu-Port Harcourt Motorway Section III and Enugu-Lokpanta Road in Enugu State to reconstruct failed sections of the road with concrete pavement.

Umahi issued the command while reviewing the road project as part of the activities marking the commencement of his South East road inspection tour, which will run from Tuesday, September 5th, to Saturday, September 9th, 2023.

Lere-Adams Blessing, Director (Information) Press & Public Relations Unit of the Federal Ministry of Works, stated this in Abuja on Wednesday.

She stated that the minister underlined that building work on all federal highways must be done in accordance with specifications to avoid contractors being forced to return and duplicate previously completed work.

“We noticed a couple of failures in some completed and uncompleted sections, contractors must go back and amend them, I believe that bad asphalt resulted in the failure and we cannot take that,” Umahi was reported as saying.

The Minister also stated that some sections of the motorway inspected thus far were in desperate need of urgent and immediate attention and directed the Ministry’s Director in charge of the South East geo-political zone, Engr.Bede Obioha, to make recommendations for the implementation of his directives.

“From Km 0+00 left hand side needed immediate attention up to Ozalla and should be amended on rigid pavement, and the entire right hand side also must be on same rigid pavement,” Umahi stated.

The minister praised the contractors for their efforts thus far and encouraged them to keep up the pace. In terms of funding, the Ministry would do all possible to ensure that funds are available.

Earlier, the Director Highways South East, Engr.Bede Obioha, informed the Minister on the project’s development to date, assuring him that all of the recommendations highlighted will be implemented.

On his part, the Contractor, Messrs. CGC Nigeria Limited, expressed gratitude to the Minister for visiting the site and promised to work on the failed portions, but revealed that the challenge they face is a lack of funds as well as the rainy season, after which he stated that the defects discovered on the failed portions would be corrected.