Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, expressed deep concern and shed tears during a recent inspection of federal roads, citing procurement challenges as a major impediment to achieving President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s ambitious goals. Umahi, the former Governor of Ebonyi State, emphasized the transient nature of existing federal roads and the inability for them to last up to seven years.
Speaking during a meeting with contractors from the six geo-political zones at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday, Umahi raised the issue of the deplorable conditions of some federal roads, describing them not just as pockmarked with potholes but resembling “boreholes.”
Umahi underscored his dismay at the questionable quality of materials used by contractors in road construction across the country. He questioned the sustainability of ongoing projects, stating, “There is no project being constructed right now in Nigeria that is going to last for seven years.”
The minister recounted a grueling personal experience, having traveled from Abuja to Benin City through Lokoja, highlighting that despite roads being under construction, their motorability was severely compromised. He spent 14 hours on the journey, starting at 10 am and reaching Benin City at 2 pm the next day, empathizing with the hardships faced by the citizens.
President Tinubu had directed Umahi to personally assess various projects and report back on his experiences. Umahi, however, raised a crucial issue regarding the bureaucratic delays in procurement processes, particularly in obtaining a no-objection certificate from the Bureau of Public Procurement. He emphasized the need for swift authorizations to enable contractors to execute additional tasks as directed, preventing unnecessary delays in project timelines.
Umahi concluded with a warning that without addressing these procurement challenges, President Tinubu’s commendable intentions to improve the country’s infrastructure might face significant obstacles.
