He has directed contractors to employ lumps, sharp sand, and stone as the base before applying concrete or asphalt pavement.
This directive came during the inauguration of a committee overseeing the reconstruction of the Benin – Warri dual carriageway and the dualization of the East – West Road, specifically the Port Harcourt – Onne Port junction road in River State.
This information was conveyed in a statement from the Ministry's Director (Information), Press, and Public Relations, Lere-Adams Blessing, in Abuja on Friday.
Umahi emphasized that laterite has limited load-bearing capacity, making it prone to erosion and weathering, especially in regions with heavy rainfall. This deterioration over time can result in road surface degradation, posing maintenance challenges and a shorter lifespan for the road infrastructure.
She quoted the Miniater as saying, “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 also 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.
He enjioned them to ensure that the contractors are duly informed of the development, and that they should remember that the ministry is under a matching order given by Mr. President,
