The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has ordered the temporary suspension of work on a section of the Ibadan-Ife-Ilesa Road project, directing the contractor to review its pavement mixture specifications before resuming construction.
Umahi issued the directive on Sunday to CBC Global Civil and Building Construction Nigeria Ltd during an inspection of the Osun section of the highway.
The minister instructed the contractor to visit another project site to study the pavement mixture being used before continuing work on the affected section.
“Go and check that mixture and then resume your work,” Umahi said.
He also directed the company to reduce activities on the carriageway and immediately deploy two teams to focus on constructing the inner and outer shoulders, which he described as critical components of the project in several locations.
Umahi warned that failure to complete the project within the agreed timeframe could lead to the redeployment of the Controller of Works supervising the project in Osun State.
“I have removed a number of controllers in some states, starting with my own state.
“I am going to make a classroom in my ministry and bring professionals into the classroom. Those I am removing from sites are going to be learning every day. When you pass, we deploy you back to site,” he said.
The minister also questioned the issuance of a N2.8 billion palliative certificate to the contractor, saying he had not observed any corresponding work on the road.
“I am on these roads, and I have not seen where the palliative was done, but you already gave a palliative certificate of N2.8 billion,” he said.
Umahi ordered the Controller of Works to withdraw the certificate within 24 hours and directed the contractor to execute the palliative works in line with the existing agreement.
“I don’t want to see any pothole, and the agreement is that you will mill all the failed and cracked sections,” he said.
The minister further directed the contractor to apply binder on affected portions of the road and stressed that future engagements would be determined by performance.
“My friendship is based on the work. I don’t have a permanent friend or a permanent enemy. We have to take responsibility for what the public has asked us to do,” he stated.
Umahi also ordered the removal of heavy duty trucks parked on newly constructed concrete sections of the highway within 24 hours, warning that the practice could compromise the integrity of the pavement.
“The moment you have those things parked, it generates internal stress on the concrete. You will not see it immediately, but that is the failure of the concrete,” he explained.
He further instructed contractors handling solar streetlight installations along the corridor to suspend work until shoulder construction is completed.
“Solar lights must be done when we are done. You can’t effectively do the solar lights on the shoulders until you have done the shoulders,” he said.
Despite the concerns raised during the inspection, Umahi commended CBC Global Civil and Building Construction Nigeria Ltd for sustaining work on the project despite outstanding payments from the government.
“We have not paid them. They are working on 108 kilometres. They have done about 70 kilometres, and they do about one kilometre per day,” he said.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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