Road Construction: Umahi Raises Alarm Over Gang-Up By Contractors 

The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi has said that President Bola Tinubu has given him a go ahead to use concrete for construction of roads across the country.

The minister stated that despite the gang-up by some road contractors opposed to the policy, the president has told him to resist the blackmail and do what is right and for the benefit of Nigerians.

He made the disclosure to State House Correspondents after he met with President Bola Tinubu at Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.

According to him, some contractors with the backing of what he called “enemies within” have ganged up to frustrate the policy.

Umahi added that some have keyed into the policy just as major cement producers have agreed to discount prices for such government road builders.

Umahi warned contractors against the dodgy attitude of securing about 20 projects but end up deploying as few as two units of equipment to the site.

He said: “There are some elements within that are also fighting me, who are also benefitting from the system and that is the greatest problem we have and I just can’t pretend. I will flush those elements out and send them to ICPC to handle them because nobody can hold this country to ransom. So I’m giving them the last chance to conform so we can help Mr. President to reset the country.

“Then, we’re also leveraging on the contract we signed; it’s 14 days notice we are going to give. I’ve had more than 10 different meetings with contractors where we discussed this. We developed the design, we even developed the cost of doing concrete from the first principle; how much is cement, and the cement factories, the Dangote, the BUA, have agreed to give special discount to our contractors who are going to engage on concrete road pavement, and many contractors are already doing it.

“Not all the contractors are in this gang up, many contractors have come to sign addendum, doing the road pavements. Those who are meeting are going to be losers and before them they will see that we do the job and we will do it very well.

“There is no amount of gang up within and outside that is going to change this, so far that we are fighting for the interest of the people backed by God and approved by Mr. President, there’s no going back.”