They must return to their respective project sites within this timeframe, or their contracts will be revoked. Additionally, the government has expressed its willingness to involve anti-crime agencies, such as the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), to address contractors who oppose the use of concrete in road construction.
Following a closed-door meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Senator Dave Umahi, the Minister of Works, shared these developments.
Umahi, who is an engineer by profession, affirmed his commitment to resisting any attempts at coercion or blackmail by contractors. He also revealed that President Tinubu has provided his support for the use of concrete in reinforcement.
Umahi conveyed that some contractors have already embraced this policy, and major cement producers have agreed to offer discounted prices for government road construction projects. He emphasized the benefits of cement roads over asphalt/bitumen, including cost-effectiveness and the promotion of local cement production over bitumen importation.
Furthermore, Umahi cautioned contractors against the practice of securing multiple projects but only deploying a minimal number of equipment units to the construction sites.
He said, “There are some elements within that are also fighting me, who are also benefitting from the system and that is the greatest problem we have and I just pretended. I will flush those elements out and send them to ICPC to handle them because nobody can hold this country to ransom.”
