The Federal government has directed its road construction contractors not to use laterite as a base in road construction any longer.

Accordingly, lumps, sharp sand and stone base will form the base before laying of concrete or asphalt pavement of Federal roads.

The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi gave the order at the inauguration of the committee for the supervision of the reconstruction of Benin – Warri dual carriageway and the dualization of East – West Road, Port Harcourt – Onne Port junction road in River State.

The Minister also warned that contract variation would no longer be taken with levity at the Ministry.

In a statement  on Friday by Blessing Lere-Adams  Director (Information) Press & Public Relations Unit, Federal Ministry of Works (FMW), Umahi noted that laterite has a limited load bearing capacity, susceptible to erosion and weathering especially in areas with heavy rainfall and this can lead to degradation of the road surface overtime, maintenance challenge and does not last long.

The statement reads: “We are giving very serious attention to the roads between Benin and Warri. The road between Eleme and Onne Port, we are mindful of the site conditions of these roads, the water conditions and the boreholes instead of pot holes on these roads.  No more laterite, contractors are now to use lumps, sharp sand and stone base in place of laterite.

“The Minister directed the newly inaugurated Road Taskforce Team that there must be a continuous maintenance of all the roads under construction until the end of the project and should make sure that the contractors are duly informed of the development, and that they should remember that the ministry is under the matching order given by Mr. President to fix Nigerian roads for the citizens to have ease of movement from one location to the other.

“The committee must implement the contract agreement with maintenance culture as key.  Committee members are to monitor the contractors closely to make sure things are done right.” 

The minister charged the contractors using asphalt pavement to ensure that their contracts are stable, sustainable, and can stand the test of time.

He also warned that the ministry would not go to the Federal Executive Council (FEC)to ask for an increment because of the fluctuating price of bitumen, insisting that the ministry will not go beyond the N6 trillion set aside for the ongoing projects completion.

Meanwhile, the committees constituted are as follows :

•  Reconstruction of Benin-Warri Dual Carriageway (Section 1 : By Levant Construction Company Ltd) Engr. C. Oke, Deputy Director HSSI; Engr. B. W. Hassan; Representative of the Honourable Minister; Representative of Highways MG&QC; Representative of Human Resources Department, FMW; Representative of Legal Department, FMW ; Representative of COREN; Representative of NSE.
• Reconstruction of Benin-Warri Dual Carriageway C (Section 11: By Geld Construction Company Ltd/Triata Nigeria Ltd (JV)) Engr. (Mrs) B.O. Ogunleye Ag. Director HSSII; Engr. Mathew Ogar (Ag. FCW, Delta); Representative of the Honourable Minister; Representative of Highways MG&QC; Representative of Human Resources Department, FMW; Representative of Legal Department, FMW; Representative of COREN and Representative of NSE.
• Reconstruction of Benin – Warri Dual Carriageway (SECTION III: BY SKCC Nigeria Ltd)
• Engr. Oladele Oladunjoye, Deputy Director Highways NC; Engr. Tari Enwereams, Chief Engineer Rivers State Field HQ; Representative of the Honourable Minister; Representative of Highways MG&QC; Representative of Human Resources Department, FMW; Representative of Legal Department, FMW; Representative of COREN and Representative of NSE
• Dualization of East-West Road, Section III: Port Harcourt (Eleme Junction)-Onne Port Junction Road in Rivers State. Engr. David Nwachukwu, Deputy Director Highways (RD-S); Engr. O. A. Adetunji, FCW, Rivers State; Representative of the Honourable Minister; Representative of Highways MG&QC; Representative of Human Resources Department, FMW and Representative of Legal Department, FMW.

“The Minister directed that a letter should be sent to the  Nigeria Union of Journalists requesting for a journalist each to be sent to each of the sites to report to the general public what is going on in the project site, and also a member of NUPENG to each of the project sites. 

“He promised that the ministry will provide all logistics to make sure the assignment goes on smoothly without hitches.

“Umahi also mentioned some other projects which Mr.  President has magnanimously approved and funds released for its construction, thus: the rehabilitation of the third mainland bridge, East-West Road between Warri and Cross Rivers, the reconstruction of Shadam-Lafia Bridge and New Artisan Bridge in Enugu that collapsed a week ago.

“The Minister on behalf of the Ministry thanked Mr. President for erasing the fear of the citizens and stressed that the ministry will have to double the response of Mr. President and have directed the Directors in charge of those zones to move straight to the site and do the needful.”

[Nation]