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Tinubu ending 30-year era of substandard roads with durable projects — Umahi (Page 342)

By Angela Atabo

The Minister of Works, David Umahi, says President Bola Tinubu’s administration is putting an end to over three decades of substandard road construction in the country through the implementation of durable, high-quality infrastructure projects nationwide.

Speaking during the inspection of the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Road project, he said the Federal Government had adopted new engineering standards and technologies designed to ensure that Nigerian roads can last for 50 to 100 years without major repairs.

He explained that roads constructed in the country for the past 30 years had been substandard, saying, “because each administration works on them every time.

“The question you ask is actually why? The reason is because of our construction method and that is why I tagged it that President Bola Tinubu is not constructing roads. He’s building roads.

“That is what I insisted, that we will use this road to show example of what we can do when we had the courage to take the project from Julius Berger.

“But one significant thing that the President is doing is that he is building roads.

“Shortly, we will see the roads. What statement is the President making? He is telling you that the roads he is building under his administration is going to last between 50 and 100 years. You are not touching it.

“The problem of this country is that there is none of the major roads built in this country in the past 30, 40 years that each administration has not been working on.”

Umahi faulted that the model contractors have been using to do the roads adding that the method of construction has been the problem.

He said, “When Julius Berger was doing the job, they removed the asphalt. They said they want to grind it with laterite.

“It is not a good construction method because they brought new laterite on the road.

“There is what is called Californian Bearing Ratio (CBR), it is the strength of the sub-base.

“So, when you remove this and you bring fresh laterite, the compaction, consolidation, will not be as the one that has consolidated for over the years.

“So, it is bound to fail and that is why you see that what Julius Berger completed was beginning to see failures, even while they were still constructing.”

Umahi explained that asphalt had a shelf life of 25 years, saying, ”so, after 25 years it starts wearing off.”

He, therefore, said the president was stopping this practice with the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Highway that would last for 50 years.

He assured Nigerians that the section 1 of the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano project would be completed before the scheduled 12 months by February 2026.

He explained the section 1 started from four kilometres into Kogi and ends at Katari, while section 2 would also proceed accordingly.

Umahi said: “The president has paid over N120billion naira on this first contract and it shows commitment and love for the people of the country, especially our northern brothers and sisters.

“The first project, N252billion, is made up of about 118 kilometres and 86 kilometres is on concrete while 17 kilometres of wearing course in Kano.

“We have about 6 kilometres dualised, which is an addition by the President at the end of the Kano section, an additional 6 by 2, that’s 12 kilometres.

“Today, about 2 kilometres has been done on that 17 kilometres. The 6 kilometres by 2 is completed in Kano section. They are putting solar light there now.”

Also speaking, the Minister of State for Works, Bello Goronyo, commended Umahi and other officials for their commitment to delivering quality road infrastructure especially on the Abuja-Kaduna-Road due to its economic importance.

Goronyo said: “Once again, we are here to serve. We have no time to waste.

“We have up to 285 equipment along the road from Abuja to Kaduna, to make sure that we meet our target to finish on time or even before the time.”

He commended Tinubu’s drive towards infrastructure development. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani

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Tinubu ending 30-year era of substandard roads with durable projects — Umahi (Page 342)