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Tag: Dave Umahi

  • FG proposes N341bn for emergency repair of roads, bridges nationwide

    The federal government has proposed N341 billion for emergency repair of roads and bridges nationwide.

    Minister of Works, Sen. Dave Umahi, made this known while updating members of the National Assembly Joint Committee on Works on the repair status of the Third Mainland and Carter bridges, on Saturday.

    The Minister and the legislators were on tour of the Third Mainland and Carter bridges, both in Lagos State.

    Umahi said that repairing the bridges would avert dangers. The minister said that N341 billion had been proposed to repair roads and bridges nationwide in 2025, but  the amount might not be sufficient considering the extent of the damage.

    “We have proposed that N341 billion will be needed. We don’t know how much this is going to cost. If we are to rebuild these bridges, even N30 trillion will not do it; so, a stitch in time saves nine. This is very important.

    “Let me report that Julius Berger had been doing  a very beautiful work until they encountered this situation. We are putting heads together with them. We are also consulting internationally to see what the solution will be.

    “It is important that the National Assembly bears in mind that we have problems, there are no problems that cannot be surmounted but problems should not be overlooked,” Umahi said.

    The Minister praised President Bola Tinubu for commitment to infrastructure development. Umahi  called for urgent intervention on the bridges.

    The National Assembly team  gave the assurance that an urgent public engagement would be called to discuss the state of Nigerian roads.

    They were led by the Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Sen. Peter Nwebonyi. The others are the  Minority Whip of the Senate, Sen. Osita Ngwu, Sen. Mpigi Barinada, and Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Works, Rep. Akin Alabi.

    The lawmakers regretted  lack of a maintenance plan after road construction or rehabilitation.

    They said that the bridges had remained in bad condition decades after their construction due to absence of a maintenance plan.

    The lawmakers commended the minister for efforts in addressing the country’s infrastructure needs.

    They emphasised the importance of allocating “condition survey ” budget for all bridges to ensure consistent maintenance and prevent damage.

    The engineers responsible for maintaining and repairing the bridges presented various strategies to ensure safety. The strategies are include installation of temporary built-up steel support installation, reconstructing capping beam, casting of guard wall installation, and steel cage installation.

  • All federal roads will be motorable by Christmas – Umahi

    All federal roads will be motorable by Christmas – Umahi

    Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi has disclosed that all federal road controllers have been directed to give details of roads within their domain, whether awarded or not, so that by this Christmas, all federal high roads in the country will be motorable.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Umahi made this disclosure on Thursday in Akure during the Federal Ministry of Works Town Hall meeting/stakeholders’ engagement on the alignment of the Ondo State with the 63km segment of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway.

    Speaking, the Minister of Works said the current administration met over 2,000 incomplete road projects running into trillions of Naira and that his ministry was not afraid of taking big decisions and had wielded the big stick by terminating 10 contracts of erring companies.

    According to Umahi, President Bola Tinubu is a gift to Nigeria by starting several legacy projects that would last beyond the current administration. The Minister said the Federal Government and the state government were committed to restoring Aiyetoro community that was currently battling sea incursion.

    Umahi also said that the road, which would pass through seven states, would open up new businesses. He assured that the design for the section of the road in the state would be concluded in November.

    “We have terminated over 10 contracts of big companies and we have the mind to terminate more and you can’t dictate to us, we will tell you what we want. Our books are very much open. We will conclude the design (for Ondo State) within the month of November and we will inaugurate it.

    “We have directed that all federal road controllers should give us details of roads within their domain, whether awarded or not, so that by this Christmas, all federal high roads will be motorable. We are coming back after your election to start the Aiyetoro project, which we will construct after this one.

    “Nigerians should be grateful that we have a listening President. He is committed to all sectors. This country still has a lot of potentials,” he said.

    Gov. Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State commended Tinubu for always remembering the state when it comes to legacy projects. Aiyedatiwa, who said the project was not a political one, noted that the project had already started in other sections.

    “He (Tinubu) is supporting us economically. I want to thank you for all the other projects in the country. This projects will be of huge benefit to us, that is why we are going to corporate with the Federal Government and the contractors,” he said.

    Earlier, the Chairman, House of Representatives’ Committee on Works, Mr Akin Alabi, commended Tinubu for the initiative and the minister for working hard to get the desired results for Nigerian roads.

    “We at the House of Representatives are fully behind the President and the works minister. Our aim is that, we want Nigeria to work. We have to say bye-bye to the practice of contractors collecting money and not working.

    ”If contractor are not in site, don’t pay them, that’s one of the biggest scam in the ministry,” he said.

    A representative of the Riverine communities, Mr Banji Okunomo, appreciated President Tinubu for deeming it important to ensure the road pass through their domain.

    Okunomo noted that the 93 km shore line of the riverine areas had been so disconnected, urging them to deliver the project in stipulated time and assured of enabling environment to achieve the result.

  • We terminated 10 road contracts due to delays – Umahi

    We terminated 10 road contracts due to delays – Umahi

    The Minister of Works, David Umahi, said the ministry has terminated several road contracts nationwide due to delays in their completion.

    Although he did not specify which projects were affected, Umahi confirmed that due process was followed in the terminations, many of which had been ongoing for over 20 years.

    Speaking at a press conference on Monday in Abuja, Umahi also challenged Hon. Remi Oseni, the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), to engage in an open debate regarding comments suggesting the minister has failed in his duties.

    He defended his record, asserting that his ministry is currently overseeing nearly 3,000 road projects across the country.

    “We have terminated over 10 projects, adhering to due process. Some of these contracts have been in existence for 17, 18, or even 20 years. We are making significant progress,” he said.

    Umahi said the current administration inherited 2,600 projects, along with 330 supplementary ones, and estimated that N19 trillion would be necessary to complete all ongoing road works.

    Addressing the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano highway project, he mentioned that Julius Berger has until Wednesday yet to accept the government’s proposal or face contract termination.

    “We have given Berger a seven-day ultimatum, which ends on Wednesday, to return to the site based on conditions that will prevent any delays.

    “We have been negotiating for 14 months, and if they are not back on site by then, we will issue a notice of termination and proceed with selective tendering to engage no fewer than three contractors,” he said.

     

     

  • Abuja-Kaduna road: Umahi Issues Seven-Day Ultimatum To Julius Berger

    Abuja-Kaduna road: Umahi Issues Seven-Day Ultimatum To Julius Berger

    The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has issued a seven-day ultimatum to Julius Berger to accept the Federal Government’s offer of N740.79bn for the completion of the 82km section II of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano road.

    The ultimatum was issued during a courtesy visit to the Minister by the new Managing Director of Julius Berger Plc, Dr Pier Lubasch, accompanied by the outgoing Managing Director, Dr Lars Richter, at the Ministry Headquarters in Abuja.

    A statement later signed by the Special Adviser (Media) to the Minister of Works, Orji Uchenna, on Wednesday, said the company risks termination of the contract if it does not accept the offer.

    “The Honourable Minister of Works, His Excellency, Sen. Engr. Nweze David Umahi, CON has for the umpteenth time called on Julius Berger Plc. to show corporate patriotism by accepting the Federal Government’s approved reviewed total contract sum of ₦740, 797,204,713.25 (Seven Hundred and Forty Billion, Seven Hundred and Ninety-Seven Million, Two Hundred and Four Thousand, Seven Hundred and Thirteen Naira, Twenty-Five Kobo for the completion of the rehabilitation of the 82 km section II of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano road, contract No.6350.”

    He lamented that the delay in mobilising to the site despite the approved funds by the Federal Executive Council is causing untold hardship to the road users and that the Federal Government is at the receiving end of the situation.

    “So if Berger is not doing it, then let’s have other people to do the job and within the time that we can control price. We’ve had more than 20 letters from Berger on this. It is a ping pong game from Julius Berger. The prices rose from ₦710 billion to ₦740 billion because of these delays. And if we continue the delays, it is the problem of the Ministry of Works.”

    The minister expressed dismay that Julius Berger Plc, which has had years of patronage by the Federal Government and sub-national governments, is not realistic in the contract pricing, especially at this time of Nigeria’s economic challenges.

    He therefore urged the contractor to within seven days accept or reject the approved reviewed contract sum for the completion of the rehabilitation of section II of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano road, or face contract determination as the Federal Government can not be held to ransom by the desire for unrealistic pricing and augmentation by contractors.

    He said, “This offer is not subject to any condition. It’s not subject to any condition that is being dished out here. It’s taken as given after more than 14 months. I’m sorry, I have to sound this way because there must be an end to negotiation. If anybody says there shouldn’t be an end to negotiation, then that person is not a business person. If you have negotiated for 14 months without any result, you should terminate the negotiation.”

    While welcoming the new Managing Director of Julius Berger Plc, the minister reiterated the need for construction companies working with the Federal Ministry of Works to prepare to make sacrifices in terms of value for money and realistic contract pricing, to encourage the much-needed road infrastructure revolution for the nation’s economic transformation, which is a cardinal agenda of the Renewed Hope administration of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, President Bola Tinubu.

    He said, “Already a number of Berger projects have been terminated because the site has been abandoned. And we needed to do something about it because Nigerians are suffering. Nigerians are crying, and they are insulting the President. We can not allow that to be happening.”

  • FG mobilises Julius Berger to complete N820b road projects

    FG mobilises Julius Berger to complete N820b road projects

    The Federal Government has told Julius Berger Nigeria Plc to fast-track the completion of the rehabilitation of the 82-kilometre Section II of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano dual carriageway and the construction of the Bodo-Bonny road with bridges across the Opobo Channel, Route 430 in Rivers State.

    Works Minister David Umahi said the government could not continually negotiate with the contractor over the same projects.

    In a statement in Abuja by his Special Adviser on Media, Uchenna Orji, during a meeting with Julius Berger, represented by its Executive Director for Projects, Benjamin Bott, and the Head of Contract Management, Omonigho Brown, the minister stressed the need for contractors handling Federal Government’s projects to exhibit corporate nationalism in price negotiation in the face of the daunting economic challenges facing the country.

    Umahi said the Federal Executive Council (FEC), at its meeting on September 23, approved the re-scoping and downward review of the contracts.

    He said: “We have Section II, which is 82 kilometres by two, which is the section that JBN Plc is working on.

    “And so, if you check what FEC approved on September 23, FEC had approved that the total contract sum within the scope of Berger would be N740 billion. This means that if you remove N391 billion paid already, you now have about N340 billion remaining. This is the scope of their work for the 164 kilometres.”

    The minister urged the contractor to mobilise for work on the four sections of the Abuja-Zaria-Kaduna-Kano project to finish the job within 14 months.

     

  • $15bn Lagos-Abidjan highway nears approval stage

    $15bn Lagos-Abidjan highway nears approval stage

    Heads of ECOWAS member states met on Saturday to finalise and approve the design of the Lagos-Abidjan Corridor Highway Development Project preparatory to initiating the procurement process at its next meeting.

    The meeting which was held in Lagos, was chaired by Nigeria’s Minister of Works, Sen. Dave Umahi, discussed the project which is expected to cost 15 billion dollars and deepen regional economic integration.

    The project is currently at its study phase, an indication that detailed research, planning, and design are still ongoing.

    Highlighting the history and progress of the Lagos-Abidjan highway development project, Umahi mentioned that the project, initiated in 2013, had received significant funding support from the African Development Bank.

    He noted that the current meeting aimed to finalise and approve the design of the project, as it was nearing a crucial stage where concrete steps towards implementation could be taken.

    He noted that the heads of member states of ECOWAS have met to agree on the project and that various stages of development, including design, environmental impact assessment, and funding mechanisms, had been ongoing for the past 11 years.

    “The design of the project, ESIA design, conceptualisation, funding mechanisms have been on in the past 11 years.

    “As of today, we are going to listen to the committee of experts in terms of the design and so we believe that we will finalise and approve the design today, and then we set the goal for procurement, probably in our next meeting,’’ he said.

    On his part, the Minister of Roads and Highways, Ghana, Mr Francis Boakye, emphasised the importance of infrastructure, particularly roads, in driving socio-economic development.

    He highlighted how highways could facilitate trade, tourism, and economic activities, and cited the example of the United States’ economic boom as evidence of this correlation.

    Boakye emphasised the significance of the Lagos-Abidjan highway project in promoting economic integration within West Africa.

    He also noted that the depth of Ghana’s involvement in the project demonstrated its commitment to regional economic integration.

    Dr Amede Kouakou, Minister of Equipment and Road Maintenance of Cote d’Ivoire, said he, along with the other ministers involved in the Lagos-Abidjan highway development project, were committed to making accelerated progress with the project.

    He specifically spoke of his intention to take deliberate steps to ensure that the project became a reality for the citizens of Cote d’Ivoire and Nigeria.

    The Lagos-Abidjan Corridor Highway, scheduled to begin in 2025, is part of the greater Dakar-Lagos Corridor and one of the flagship priority development programmes of ECOWAS.

    The about 1068 kilometers project will cover five ECOWAS member countries , namely – Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin Republic, and Nigeria, and will traverse eight border towns (four country-pair land borders) beginning from Eric Moore and ending in Abidjan.

    The project is financed by the African Development Bank.

  • Why road contracts awarded to Mothercat, Dantata, RCC was terminated – FG reveals

    Why road contracts awarded to Mothercat, Dantata, RCC was terminated – FG reveals

    The Federal Government on Monday disclosed the reason for terminating the Obajana-Benin Road contracts with three companies.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that the government ended contract numbers 6136, 6137 and 6138 with Mothercat Ltd, Dantata & Sawoe Construction Ltd and RCC Ltd, respectively, citing non-performance by the firms.

    The Federal Ministry of Works in a statement on Monday, said the projects affected by this termination are the dualisation of Obajana-Benin road, section II (Okene-Auchi) in Kogi/Edo State; the dualisation of Obajana-Benin road, section III (Auchi-Ehor) in Edo State and the dualisation of Obajana-Benin road section IV (Ehor-Benin) also in Edo State.

    The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, said “the termination of the said contracts became neccessary in view of the inordinate delay of the affected companies in job performance”.

    The statement signed by the minister’s spokesperson, Uchenna Orji, also cited the contractors’ “failure, neglect and or refusal to fulfill their contractual obligations as required by the Standard Conditions of Contract and this has affected the timely completion of the projects and thus resulted in the expiration of the contracts by effluxion of time”.

    The minister disclosed that the contractors abandoned the projects awarded on December 3, 2012, adding that no genuine commitment or good faith was shown towards executing the projects thereby exposing road users to untold hardship due to the deplorable condition of the projects.

    Umahi consequently directed “the engineers in charge to take necessary steps to enter upon both the site and the works and take the same over from the affected companies”.

    He directed the engineers concerned to, upon doing the needful, arrange with the affected companies for a joint measurement of work so far done by the said companies preparatory to taking over the sites from them.

    He warned that the ministry under his watch won’t condone acts of unseriousnes and sabotage by contractors whose plan is to become a clog in the wheel of progress of the current administration.

    He further warned that the government won’t hesitate in terminating all projects that are funded but are non-performing.

  • Why road contracts awarded to Mothercat, Dantata, RCC was terminated – FG reveals

    Why road contracts awarded to Mothercat, Dantata, RCC was terminated – FG reveals

    The Federal Government on Monday disclosed the reason it terminated the Obajana-Benin Road contracts with three companies.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that the government ended contract numbers 6136, 6137 and 6138 with Mothercat Ltd, Dantata & Sawoe Construction Ltd and RCC Ltd, respectively, citing non-performance by the firms.

    The Federal Ministry of Works in a statement on Monday, said the projects affected by this termination are the dualisation of Obajana-Benin road, section II (Okene-Auchi) in Kogi/Edo State; the dualisation of Obajana-Benin road, section III (Auchi-Ehor) in Edo State and the dualisation of Obajana-Benin road section IV (Ehor-Benin) also in Edo State.

    The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, said “the termination of the said contracts became neccessary in view of the inordinate delay of the affected companies in job performance”.

    The statement signed by the minister’s spokesperson, Uchenna Orji, also cited the contractors’ “failure, neglect and or refusal to fulfill their contractual obligations as required by the Standard Conditions of Contract and this has affected the timely completion of the projects and thus resulted in the expiration of the contracts by effluxion of time”.

    The minister also disclosed that the contractors abandoned the projects awarded on December 3, 2012, adding that no genuine commitment or good faith was shown towards executing the projects thereby exposing road users to untold hardship due to the deplorable condition of the projects.

    Umahi consequently directed “the engineers in charge to take necessary steps to enter upon both the site and the works and take the same over from the affected companies”.

    He directed the engineers concerned to, upon doing the needful, arrange with the affected companies for a joint measurement of work so far done by the said companies preparatory to taking over the sites from them.

    He warned that the ministry under his watch won’t condone acts of unseriousnes and sabotage by contractors whose plan is to become a clog in the wheel of progress of the current administration.

    He further warned that the government won’t hesitate in terminating all projects that are funded but are non-performing.

  • FG forced to reroute Lagos-Calabar highway

    FG forced to reroute Lagos-Calabar highway

    In order to protect submarine cables, the Lagos-Calabar Highway has been rerouted back to its original path for a distance of 9 kilometers, moving away from the shoreline.

    The Minister of Works, David Umahi revealed this while also disclosing that 750 homes situated in the vicinity of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway are designated for removal.

    Umahi disclosed this while engaging with stakeholders in Lagos on Thursday.

    He said, “We have three critical infrastructure that are located on one spot. One is the 2Africa submarine cable that cuts across 33 countries connecting about three billion people. That cable landed at Mopo and where it landed, the West African cable systems (WACS) had already been located there about 17 years ago.

    “We have a mega IPP which is to provide power to the 2Africa cable and the WACS cable. The power plant is a 50 megawatt power plant expected to support this infrastructure.

    “The (new) corridor is passing right on the submarine cable and the other side is on the IPP. You cannot have the submarine cables without power. They will not function. The submarine cable is a critical national security infrastructure. If it is affected, everybody will be affected,”

    “Two months ago, there was a challenge as far as Cote d’Ivoire but a significant part of Africa was blanked out. Our appeal today is in view of the fact that this is not just a private project, it’s a national project, it’s the internet gateway to the nation and it’s linked to national security.

    “We are therefore appealing that for this critical infrastructure located at Mopo, that the road be diverted back to the original gazette.

    “We welcome and commend the federal government for building this road, we think this is a major national infrastructure that enhances development, but we’re appealing that for such national telecommunications infrastructure, government should find a way of being sensitive to that reality, and divert the road away from this critical national infrastructure.”

    “Ladies and gentlemen, we have our proposal here and we have the old alignment, the gazetted alignment.

    “To the glory of God, to solve MTN, 2Africa and Okun Ajah community (complaints), we are diverting completely from the new alignment and we are rejoining back to our new alignment at kilometer 25. Congratulations.”

  • Lagos-Calabar highway: How we will recoup construction costs – Umahi

    Lagos-Calabar highway: How we will recoup construction costs – Umahi

    The federal government plans to recoup construction costs for the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project through tolling and selling land along the road corridors, the Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi has disclosed.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Senator Umahi made the disclosure at an engagement with representatives of communities within the alignment of the road between Eko Atlantic (Chainage Zero) and Eleko inside (Chainage 47.4klm), on Thursday in Lagos State.

    According to Umahi, the aim is to create a scenic route similar to coastal highways in other countries, adding that the return on investment would start immediately the first section was completed and would come from tolls and land sales along the completed section one.

    The Minister pointed that the country loses money daily due to cargo transshipment at Apapa Port.

    He explained that Apapa Port’s water depth was insufficient for large ships, forcing them to use deeper ports elsewhere for cargo transfer (transshipment), which incurred millions of dollars on daily basis.

    He said that the new roads would act as an evacuation corridor for the Lekki Deep Sea Port to other parts of the country.

    The minister, who acknowledged potential criticism about the project’s scale and chosen sections, mentioned that section one, a 47.7 kilometers, was ambitious for an interstate road project.

    Speaking further during the engagement, Umahi disclosed the immediate commencement of construction work on sections three and four of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project, beginning from Calabar.

    He said that section three would start from Calabar and section four from Akwa Ibom.

    Umahi said, “Let me announce also that Mr President has directed that section three that is starting from Calabar and section four that is starting from Akwa Ibom should commence immediately; and so, we are in the process of concluding the procurement.

    “And for those who have been saying why not start these roads in Calabar; one, the zero point is Lagos and what wrong has Lagos done to these people?

    “However, an impartial President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Sen. Bola Tinubu, has directed that section three and four be started from the end of the project. So while this is moving, the other one will be moving.

    “I am sure that sections five and six will also start in places like Port Harcourt and Bayelsa.”

    Umahi also announced that the president had given approval for the commencement of construction work on the road connecting Sokoto to Badagry.

    He said: ”Just the last Federal Executive Committee meeting on Monday, Mr President also approved another project; because this road have two spurs , that we start the design and procurement of that Sokoto to Badagry.

    ”It’s a 1,000 km, its running through a lot of irrigation, lands and dams where you can have a lot of power generation and its running from Sokoto to Kebbi, Kebbi to Niger, Niger to kwara, Kwara to Oyo, Oyo to Ogun state, and then to Badagry in Lagos State.”

    Lagos-Calabar Highway: Okun-Ajah community is safe – FG

    Meanwhile, the Federal Government has reassured residents of Okun-Ajah community, Lagos, that their properties would not be demolished for the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project.

    The Minister of Works, Sen. Dave Umahi, dismissed their fears at an engagement with representatives of communities within the alignment of the road between Eko Atlantic (Chainage Zero) and Eleko inside (Chainage 47.4klm, on Thursday in Lagos.

    The meeting also discussed the payment of compensations and environmental issues as it affects the projects.

    The minister said that the construction around the axis would follow the original gazetted route by the federal government.

    Umahi said, “ Ladies and gentlemen, we have our proposal here and we have the old alignment; to the glory of God, to solve MTN, 2Africa, Okun-Ajah community, we are diverting completely from the new alignment, from the old alignment to a new alignment at kilometer 25.’’

    The minister emphasised that the decision to avoid demolitions was not due to pressure or conflict from the communities.

    According to him, the President’s intervention prioritised minimising the negative impact on residents.

    He assured the people of the president’s firm stance, saying the government won’t change the route for section one, but residents could still voice concerns about the project’s impact on their properties within the chosen path.

    Umahi stressed that the government was open to addressing concerns outside section one, where adjustments might be possible.

    Besides, he invited all the stakeholders to join him to receive President Bola Tinubu, on May 26, as he will be flagging off the 700 kilometers coastal roads.

    Earlier at the meeting, Dr Iliasu Gashingbaki, GMD, Meca group, in Okun-Ajah, had called on the government to be sensitive to the global facility, highlighting how a submarine cable belonging to MTN that cut across 33 countries in Africa was tampered within the course of the road construction, thus, shutting internet access to some parts of Africa a few months ago.

    About 11 people, whose properties were affected by the construction of the coastal roads, received compensations.