Minister of Works, Engineer David Umahi has embarked on an inspection tour of some roads in Lagos and states within Southwest Nigeria.
Director of information, Press and Public Relations Unit of the Ministry, Blessing Lere-Adams disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday, August 29, 2023.
Adams said the Minister had vowed that there would be no contract award under his watch for any road unless it has a concrete layout.
Umahi, who disclosed this during an inspection tour of Oshodi Oworoshoki – Ojota road, expressed satisfaction with the job done, adding that it was about ninety-nine percent done except for some finishing touches.
He wondered why some contractors were against the more durable and cost reduction use of Concrete Technology, that is, the use of cement for road construction, despite its advantages over bitumen which was more expensive and less durable, a situation he attributed to the fact that the bitumen produced recently were of lesser quality.
The Minister noted that despite the high number of heavy trucks that ply the road it was still without defects adding that if it was an asphalt road it would have started failing and developing faults.
He challenged contractors who were aversed to the construction of concrete roads to come to Oworoshoki Road to see an example of its advantage over asphalt.
At the Apongbon bridge, the Minister lamented that some people were trading and selling chemicals under it which resulted in the fire outbreak early in the year thereby causing huge damage to the bridge. He, however, expressed the government’s determination to rehabilitate it as soon as possible and install solar lights.
While at Iponri section of the Eko bridge the Engr. David Umahi called on the Lagos State Government to urge the people using the premises under it to clean the surroundings and make it beautiful and habitable for their use.
At the Porto-Novo Liverpool round-about bridge, the Minister directed the Director, Design and Bridges, Engineer Adesanya Awosanya to send the report on the structural defects on it and other bridges that have similar problems to his office.
