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Tag: Dave Umahi

  • Nigerians can travel from Sokoto to Lagos in 10 hours with coastal routes – Umahi

    Nigerians can travel from Sokoto to Lagos in 10 hours with coastal routes – Umahi

    Minister of Works, Sen. Dave Umahi has said Nigerians will be able to travel from Sokoto State to Lagos State in about 10 hours when the construction of the coastal routes in the country is completed.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Umahi said this while hinting that the construction of coastal routes in Nigeria has the potential to attract foreign investment and contribute to a stronger Naira.

    He gave the hint at the unveiling of the new design routes for the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project on Wednesday in Lagos.

    According to Umahi, the government’s plan to improve infrastructure is ultimately to aim for an economic revolution in Nigeria.

    He said: “We talked about our economy, that it needs foreign investments.

    “These roads are going to be constructed with concrete pavements and it’s CPC+ F, which means that there is foreign investment that will come in and this foreign investment will strengthen and stabilise the naira.

    “I’m very happy that the President has directed me to begin the design of one of the spurs linking to this coastal routes and that is the Sokoto-Badagry which was conceived by the President Shagari administration.

    “It’s going to connect the ongoing routes, Lagos-Badagry routes that is being done by the federal government and state government.

    “There is also another route which is the Enugu-Abakaliki-Ogoja-Cameroun-African Trans-Sahara routes. The coastal routes is also going to connect.

    “The Sokoto-Badagry is 1,000 kilometre from the spur of the Trans-Saharan trade  routes down to Apo in Abuja is 461 kilometre.

    “It means that anyone that is travelling from Sokoto to Lagos will do it in about 10 hours and travelling from South-East to Abuja, will do it in a maximum of about five hours.

    “These are the benefits of the coastal routes.’’

    The minister also addressed criticism surrounding who gets credit for developing the coastal routes in Nigeria.

    He said that some people were upset that President Bola Tinubu was associated with the project saying, the criticism is misplaced anger and a way to attack Tinubu without understanding the bigger picture.

    Umahi said: “Some people are already bitter as to why it should be President Bola Tinubu that is the one to develop these coastal routes as tt will be a lasting legacy for generations to come.

    “That is just their own anger. So, they look for an avenue to attack. But it’s all about darkening counsel without knowledge.’’

    He argued that the project’s long-term benefits outweighed political squabbles, which according to him, weill leave a positive impact for future generations.

    Furthermore, Umahi explained how the coastal routes, envisioned by Tinubu when he was then governor of Lagos State, would significantly improve the functionality of the Lagos deep seaport.

    He said that the coastal routes, which would facilitate trade within Nigeria and potentially boost economic growth, would allow ships to directly access the deep seaport, eliminating the need for expensive transloading due to insufficient water depth.

    “And many ship that were payed for transloading right now from Togo, from the way the sea had insufficient water depth, we’re going to be sending them money because this coastal route is going to be an evacuation corridor for that deep seaport.

    “So, no more transloading. They go straight to the deep seaport and are offloaded and you can have your goods. If you’re going to Northern part of Nigeria, you just come straight to Badagry and then now to Sokoto.

    “And this Sokoto is cutting across Kebbi, Niger, Kwara and so on and so forth; that of the South-East is cutting across Benue, Kogi and Nassarawa- Enugu-Ogoja routes.

    “These are tough decisions and these are for economic revolution.’’ Umahi said.

  • Lagos-Calabar highway project: How we disbursed N2.75bn to claimants – Umahi

    Lagos-Calabar highway project: How we disbursed N2.75bn to claimants – Umahi

    The Federal Government has disbursed N2.75 billion for the first phase of the compensation payouts and unveiled the new design routes for the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project.

    The Minister of Works, Sen. Dave Umahi, made the announcement at the commencement of payouts to property owners affected by the construction of the 700km highway project, on Wednesday in Lagos.

    Recall that the federal government had, on April 4, inuagurated a committee to review, evaluate and compensate land owners affected by the construction of the highway project.

    According to Umahi, the goal of the committee is to ensure transparency in all undertakings.

    He said, “It’s my pleasure to unveil the new design route, and I wish to flag off the compensation from chainage zero to chainage three in a total sum of N2.75 billion. That is very ambitious.

    “It’s my pleasure to invite the Director of Design and the Controller to call the people and give them the symbolic amount agreed and to assure that before 1p.m. tomorrow, you will all get your alert as agreed.

    “It will be difficult to show you all what we have done here to protect the claimants so that you don’t go to their houses, this one is private to us.

    “But the smaller ones, we can do that symbolically, but no cash is paid.”

    The Minister also announced that all tenants affected by the demolition at Landmark would receive compensation by the end of the day.

    Umahi said, ” All tenants within the Landmark premises have been shortlisted for payments by 2 p.m. today. That closes the politics of Landmark.”

    The Chairman, Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway compensation committee, Mrs Korede Keisha, while presenting cheques to deserving beneficiaries, corroborated what Umahi said.

    She said, “Just like the minister said that this will be done in phases, so, the first 10 recipients would be called today. If you were not called today, don’t be afraid, we are going to call you in the next few days.

    “The secretariat is open and we work 24/7 everyday. So, this is just the opening one.”

    She named the beneficiaries as Moist Beach, Checkmate, Kingfisher, G12 Beach, Xchange Lounge, Kingston, Landmark Kids Club by Maxtivity, FX lounge and Bar, and Best Rock.

    The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is designed to connect Lagos to Cross River, passing through the coastal states of Ogun, Ondo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers and Akwa Ibom, before culminating in Cross River.

    Construction of each kilometre of the 700 kilometre highway will cost N4 billion.

  • Observatory cameras on Third Mainland Bridge ready by June – Umahi

    Observatory cameras on Third Mainland Bridge ready by June – Umahi

    The Minister of Works, Sen. Dave Umahi, said on Monday that solar cameras with an observation room would be installed on the Third Mainland Bridge by June.

    Umahi said this after a routine inspection of the under deck at Iddo, Carter and the Third Mainland bridges in Lagos.

    He said that similar improvement was planned for Carter Bridge, subject to budget approval.

    The minister said that the Federal Government had taken proactive measures to address the condition of the piles supporting the Third Mainland Bridge.

    He said that erosion and illegal mining had damaged the piles, and a consultant would be contacted on the repairs.

    He said, “We’re working on a number of bridges inherited; we inherited construction work on Eko bridge, Marina bridge, Liverpool bridge, all done by Build Well.

    “Even the Independence Bridge and Iganmu bridge; on top of the bridges, we have almost finished the deck job, though we are extending the deck job, and then we are also constructing CCTV and observation room.

    “Then, below the deck, we are working on the piles, and then, we now see the pier caps.

    “These are the works that are going on under the deck. We still have one major work that we’re going to be looking at.

    “We’ll be doing a meeting with Julius Berger to look at one of the most serious and challenging jobs, and that is the work that is right below the pier caps, that’s the piles and then the decks bed.”

    Umahi advised the contractors to accelerate construction work on the bridges before the lagoon tide rises in June.

  • FG considers State of Emergency for 2 bridges in Lagos

    FG considers State of Emergency for 2 bridges in Lagos

    Minister of Works, Sen. Dave Umahi on Friday charged the National Assembly to declare a State of Emergency on the Third Mainland and Carter Bridges in Lagos State.

    The State of Emergency would facilitate expedited repairs of the bridges and stave off potential disasters, the minister declared during a facility tour of key infrastructural projects in Lagos State.

    On the facility tour were members of the National Assembly Joint Committee on Works who were on joint oversight functions in Lagos State.

    Umahi stressed that urgency and special attention were needed from the lawmakers to arrest the deterioration of the bridges as they needed specialised underwater repairs.

    He noted that only the Second Mainland Bridge (Eko Bridge) was allowed to take heavy vehicles for now as the Third Mainland and Carter Bridges faced critical infrastructural challenges.

    “We have critical underwater challenges on the Third Mainland Bridge.

    “The first is the deflection of the slab, which is nothing to worry about as we shall repair it as we did on Eko Bridge and it will stop deflecting.

    “The second one is the deterioration of the piers, the pier caps and the pier cap covers. The contractor is already mobilised about four weeks ago and is working on it.

    “Cost of rehabilitation of the Third Mainland Bridge is estimated at N21 billion,’’ he said.

    He stressed that if the rehabilitation on the Third Mainland Bridge was not done speedily, its reconstruction could cost N6 trillion.

    Umahi noted that illegal mining of sand, natural underwater current and the rusting of the steel casing of the bridge’s pillars were the causative factors of the deterioration.

    The minister also noted that the Carter Bridge was faced with the same challenges.

    “I want the National Assembly to take very special note that this is the worst of the challenges we are having on these two bridges.

    “Cost of rehabilitation of Carter Bridge is N25 billion.

    “We have mobilised the contractor, Julius Berger Nigeria PLC., with N7 billion for Carter Bridge seven days ago and N6 billion for the Third Mainland Bridge,’’ he said.

    In his remarks, Chairman, Joint National Assembly Committee on Works, Sen. Barinada Mpigi, corroborated Umahi’s observations and called for the support of the National Assembly.

    “I join you to call on the President to declare state of emergency on some of our critical infrastructure, especially in the road sector.

    “We saw decay at the Carter Bridge and the Third Mainland Bridge.

    “If any of these infrastructures gets destroyed, we don’t know to get humongous amounts of money to rebuild it.

    “We at the National Assembly are prepared, but the initiative has to come from the Executive,’’ he said.

    Mpigi stressed that it would be nice of President Bola Tinubu to immediately invoke his powers and ensure that most critical infrastructure built decades ago got needed attention.

    He observed that provisions made in the 2024 budget would not fix some of the projects.

    Also speaking during the tour, Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Works, Rep. Akin Alabi, assured of continued support of the parliament.

    “I assure you that anything that the parliament can do to make your job easier, we will do it and continue to do it because it is good for all of us.

    “Third Mainland Bridge is the most important bridge in Lagos and in West Africa. It is one of the longest bridges in Africa and we cannot afford to toy with it,’’ he told Umahi.

  • Ministry of Works proposes N657bn Budget for 2024 fiscal year

    Ministry of Works proposes N657bn Budget for 2024 fiscal year

    The Ministry of Works has proposed the sum of N657,228,251,596 billion appropriation bill for the 2024 fiscal year.

    This is just as the Minister, Engineer Dave Umahi has urged the lawmakers to get back to the ministry the Office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation (OSGoF); Federal School of Surveying, Oyo (FSS); Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN); and Surveyors’ Council of Nigeria (SURCON)

    Engr. Umahi, who made the demand while addressing the joint committee on works in Abuja on Monday, explained that Capital Budget Proposal for the Ministry of Works itself will engulf N 566,466,977,361, while it’s parastatals; Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA). N51, 282,456,911; African Regional Institute for Geo-Special Information Science and Technology AFRIGIST (RECTAS) goes for N104,039,920 amounting to N617,853,474,192.

    He explained further that the Overhead Budget Proposal for Ministry stands at N668,116,856.00 while its Parastatals: FERMA will require N22,027,209,696. and RECTAS/AFRIGIST has zero proposal amounting to a total sum of N22,695,326,552.

    While Personnel Cost Proposal for the Ministry is N12,598,351,319 and it’s parastatals will gulp N4,081,099.

    The Minister noted that 693 new projects have been proposed in the 2024 Budget which are critical to improving road network connectivity and thus enhancing traffic circulation on the Federal Road network, which is necessary for boosting socio-economic activities in the country.

    According to him, the primary objective is enabling the Ministry achieve its mandate in providing a quality Federal Road network that serves as an environment to aid socio-economic growth of the country.

    “The main challenge to highways development in the country remains inadequate funding. As at date, government is committed to highway contractors to the tune of about N13.835 trillion with a total of about N1,507,873,365,516.02 unpaid certificates for executed works.

    “Secondly, the dearth of younger Engineers/Technical Officers in the Ministry as a result of embargo on employment is affecting effective project supervision at the sites. It is expected that more sources of funding of highway projects be explored as well as lifting the embargo on employment of needed Engineers/Technical officers at middle level to enhance supervision of projects.

    “Our Ministry has set up six committees to review all debts, approved and unapproved variations on prices of basic rates, and all augmentations that occurred before May 29th 2023 and from May 30th 2023 till date.

    According to Umahi, the provision of an Emergency Fund of about 30% of the Budget Provision will cater for unforeseen emergencies that regularly occur on the road network especially during the rainy seasons;

    “An increase of the Ministry’s present budgetary allocation to about N1.5trillion to complete at least 10 selected critical roads and bridges in each of the six geo-political zones of the country;

    “Urgent review of all certified debts to contractors and if possible, convert same to Promissory Notes to contractors so that we can get properly focused in using any fund appropriated to us to pursue the Ministry’s set objectives;

    “Inflation- Many contractors are presently out of sites because they have exhausted their contract VoPs and needed the projects unit rates to be reviewed. It will be good that all VoPs and augmentations of all the projects are reviewed and those that are owed be converted to Promissory Notes, while unit rates regime will take effect on contractors in line with the current realities of the construction industry.

    “More eligible companies should be encouraged to key into the Road Tax Credit Scheme to increase the number of private sector interventions. This means front-loading their tax liabilities to solve our present challenges;

    “Raising of Bonds from the Capital Market to finance road development in the country;

    “Creation of an enabling environment by fixing the roads so that the deployment of the Highway Development and Management Initiative (HDMI) can be effective.

    “That appropriations for projects be such that no projects when started should last for more than four years,” he said.

  • Minister of Works reiterates durability, cost effectiveness of concrete roads

    Minister of Works reiterates durability, cost effectiveness of concrete roads

    The Minister of Works, Sen. David Umahi has reiterated that concrete road pavement has been discovered to be more durable and cost effective in the construction of roads in some parts of the country.

    A statement by the Director of Press FMW, Mrs Blessing Lere-Adams, disclosed that the minister said this during a meeting with Directors of the Ministry in Abuja.

    The meeting was held for the purposes of clarification on pavements built with concrete and asphalt.

    Umahi said there were a lot of advantages in using concrete in road construction, stressing that roads built with concrete could last for 50 years without having issues of portholes or washout.

    “Concrete roads have a longer lifespan, it can withstand heavy traffic loads, low maintenance, less affected by temperature fluctuations.

    “A lot of advantages accrue to the use of concrete to construct roads, concrete roads last longer, compared to asphalt roads, reducing the need for frequent repairs and maintenance.

    “It is stronger and can withstand heavy traffic loads, it also has low maintenance,” Umahi said.

    Umahi, however, stated that nobody was insisting that all ongoing road construction in the nation should be changed to concrete.

    He said such could happen under the some conditions, including roads constructed with asphalt pavement must be on concrete shoulder, with an alternative design on the road shoulder.

    He added that some of the contractors were still working with obsolete and old machines.

    He encouraged the directors to come to him for any suggestion or logical argument, saying that the mission of Tiniubu’s administration was to improve on the road infrastructure across the nation for the good of all.

    “I am appealing to our consciences to see ourselves as people going to the same direction and pursuing the same agenda for the betterment of all.

    “All those in the field are the same with people in the office. Services in the office is what is keeping the services in the site,” Umahi said.

     

  • FG to reconstruct collapsed Enugu/Port Harcourt expressway bridge – Umahi

    FG to reconstruct collapsed Enugu/Port Harcourt expressway bridge – Umahi

    The Minister of Works, Sen. Dave Umahi, said the Federal Government would begin immediate reconstruction of the collapsed Enugu/Port Harcourt expressway.

    Umahi said this when he and Gov. Peter Mbah of Enugu State visited the scene of the collapsed bridge for an on-the-spot assessment as part of his working visit to the state.

    He said that the reconstruction of the bridge would end the plight of commuters plying the road, adding that the collapse of the bridge was unfortunate, and the government would in the meantime, provide alternative road for the people.

    According to him, “We are going to look at the second bridge and see how far the remedial work will be done on it. We are going to scale up the reconstruction of the two bridges alongside with the road construction.

    “I want to assure you that I have directed the contractor to do everything possible to provide an alternative road.

    “We are going to work on the second bridge to ascertain the integrity of the bridge and see if we can use it while we demolish the collapsed one and start the reconstruction.

    “I believe the contractor is hearing us and the process will start immediately. I want to have a memo which I will send to Mr President.”

    The minister added that the report and pictures of the collapsed bridge sent to him were the same with what he was seeing.

    He explained that the collapse occurred because the pipes were exposed, adding that the bridge was constructed in 1968.

    He assured the Enugu Government of his support, and thanked him for his initiative in dualising the Enugu to Abakaliki town road.

    “We have gotten your letter on that and I will be sending my men to come and evaluate it. I can assure you that within the next 7 days you must hear from us; we are doing the drains, and will give you our standard and bills of quantities.

    “It is difficult for me to assure any governor that wants a refund, I cannot say, because we came into office and inherited an economy that has more than 90 per cent of its income being used to service debts.

    Mbah thanked Umahi and the FG for the prompt response to the bridge collapse, saying that it underscored the president’s commitment when he took the oath of office.

    “He is committed to lead with compassion and run an inclusive government, and that is what we are seeing here today.”

    He explained that when the incident happened, he reached out to the FG immediately and within 48 hours the minister was in the state for inspection to find solution on how they can get at least one section of the road done to accommodate the people.

    “This is a major gateway road so we cried out to the FG for expeditious action,” Mbah said.

     

  • VIDEO: Watch moment Works Minister, Umahi locks out late comers 

    VIDEO: Watch moment Works Minister, Umahi locks out late comers 

    Minister of Works, Dave Umahi on Thursday locked out staff of his ministry for resuming office duties late.

    TheNewsGuru.com, (TNG) reports Umahi on arriving the premises discovered that most staff are yet to resume and he immediately ordered closure of the main gate.

    In the clip most of the civil servants were seen loitering outside the gate.

    Watch:

     

  • This cannot happen in any of your countries’ – Umahi warns expatriate contractors against substandard jobs

    This cannot happen in any of your countries’ – Umahi warns expatriate contractors against substandard jobs

    The Minister of Works, Sen. Dave Umahi, has warned indigenous and expatriate contractors engaged in the construction of road projects across the country against substandard works.

    The minister, gave the warning in Abuja at a meeting with contractors handling federal roads, said sub-standard work was no longer acceptable.

    Umahi said most of the roads currently being constructed in the country could not last for seven years after construction

    He frowned at how contractors cheat Nigerians in the materials they use to construct roads in the country.

    “Our expatriate contractors, this cannot happen in any of your countries, it cannot.

    “Anywhere there is a project going on, the first thing that is done is the convenience of the people. I feel we are being taken for a ride, and we are being taken for granted.

    You feel you are doing us a favour, you are not doing us a favour, this is business, and this attitude must stop,” he said

    He also decried the discomfort and pains Nigerians face while travelling on federal roads, saying he had to feel their pains when he travelled to Edo from Abuja.

    He said the contractors constantly increase the cost of project and cheat the country through contracts variation and the use of asphalt materials, which are subject to the international price of crude oil.

    According to him, there is no project being constructed right now in Nigeria that is going to last for seven years.

    “The question is, are we going to be maintaining or reconstructing our roads after every 10 years.

    “That is what we have been doing. I traveled from Abuja to Benin City through Lokoja, all the stretches of the road are on contract, ongoing, this is through the policy of the last administration but how much of the roads are motorable?

    “I travelled through the roads myself and I shed tears for the kind of pains our people are going through.

    “I spent 14 hours on the road having started my journey from 10 a.m. and got to Benin City at 2 p.m. the next day and I was very happy I experienced the pains.

    “President Tinubu said I must travel through all the projects so that I will brief him on my experience and tell him the truth,” he said

    Umahi further said he had stopped the signing of the funds to be released to contracts who are seeking price variation of their contracts, adding that Mr President was not aware of such increases.

    The minister debunked the claim that cement price would go to N9,000 if the government starts doing concrete roads saying that it was blackmail against him by the people who don’t want the progress in the construction industry.

    He added that he was doing his work with the fear of God.

    “This is my line of instructions. I will do whatever the president instructs me to do and he is the only one and God that can cancel my instructions so don’t waste your time reporting me to anyone apart from these two.

    “No matter the amount of blackmail and lies, it will not prevail. I travelled to the south west, I am not totally unhappy with the project there and supervision as I gave them 80 marks.

    While critising workers in the ministry for not doing their supervision of contracts as they are expected, he said they had blood in their hands for the number of people that died in road accidents and those that were kidnapped.

    “Unless Mr President does something about it, his lofty intention to help this country may not totally be achieved. Documents will be sent to the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) it will stay for six months.

    “How will the contractors do the additional job you directed them to do without a backup authorization.

    “I am warning all directors to get your controllers back to work, I want to see all the roads motorable, trucks should be off the road, any road where trucks fall I recall the director,” Umahi warned.

    Also at the stakeholders meeting, President of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) Prof. Sadiq Abubakar, said the council was delighted to be part of the meeting.

    According to him, the minister has shown a peculiar direction in bringing change to the sector.

    He said COREN was going to do a follow up and have a meaningful engagement with the contractors.

    He complained that there was a lot of non-compliance on the aspects that have to do with expatriates engagement in the country especially quota allocation adding that Nigeria having been admitted to the Washington Accord demand compliance.

    Abubakar, therefore, appealed to the directors to bridge the gaps notes by the minister adding that COREN would do its own due diligence.

     

  • 10th NASS: Umahi speaks on compensation for Southeast

    10th NASS: Umahi speaks on compensation for Southeast

    Ebonyi state Governor, Dave Umahi has assured the Southeast that the President-elect, Bola Tinubu will compensate the region for missing out on the Senate Presidency.

    According to Umahi, Tinubu would compensate the Southeast with other tangible positions for sacrificing the Senate Presidency seat.

    The Ebonyi state politician said that while addressing pressmen at the Muhammadu Buhari International Airport, Onueke, Ebonyi State.

    According to Umahi: “Let it not be as if we are in opposition all the time.

    “Politics is all about dialogue; give and take. Since we did not get that, we will get something else that is very tangible”.

    Umahi also disclosed that most Senators-elect are behind Godswill Akpabio emerging as the next Senate President.

    “I am not yet a senator, but if you say senators-elect, the majority of them I know are with Akpabio, and I am Akpabio’s campaign coordinator,” he added.

    Recall that Umahi had stepped down for Akpabio as the race for the Senate President heats up.

    The All Progressives Congress, APC, in an attempt to pave the way for Akpabio zoned the Senate Presidency to the South-south.