The Minister of Works, Sen. Dave Umahi, has ordered a temporary halt to reconstruction work on the Ibadan-Ife-Ilesa Road and threatened to recall Controllers of Works from states where contractors on federal road projects perform below standard.
Umahi gave the directives to contractor CBC Global Civil and Building Construction Nig. Ltd. on Sunday, during an inspection of the Osun axis of the project, conducted with federal lawmakers and other stakeholders.
He directed CBC to suspend work, study pavement mixture specifications at another project site, then resume. He also ordered the contractor to slow work on the carriageway and immediately deploy two teams to the outer and inner shoulders.
Umahi warned that if the section was not completed on schedule, he would withdraw the Osun Controller of Works from the site, adding that he had already removed controllers in several states, including his own.
“I am going to set up a classroom in my ministry and bring in professionals. Those removed from sites will undergo training daily. When they pass, they will be redeployed,” he said.
The minister disclosed he had nearly recalled the Osun controller to Abuja for issuing CBC a palliative certificate worth N2.8 billion without evidence of work done, and gave the controller 24 hours to withdraw it. He directed CBC to carry out the palliative work.
“I am on this road and I have not seen where the palliative was done,” he said.
Umahi also ordered CBC to mill all failed and cracked sections, apply binder and eliminate potholes. He directed the controller to clear heavy trucks parked on concrete sections of the road within 24 hours, warning that prolonged parking generates internal stress that causes concrete failure.
He further threatened to suspend solar light installation, saying it was premature until the shoulders were completed.
The minister, however, commended CBC for completing about 70 kilometres of the 108-kilometre stretch, roughly one kilometre per day, despite payment not yet being made.
Credit: thenationonlineng.net
