By Angela Atabo
The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has vowed to drag contractors who are not utilising funds already disbursed to them by the federal government for intended road projects to the police or the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
Umahi said this on Tuesday while issuing a 72-hour ultimatum to contractors handling the Abuja-Lokoja road to fully mobilise to site and utilise funds already released by the Federal Government.
The minister also criticised some supervising engineers for failing to hold contractors accountable, accusing them of neglecting field inspections while remaining comfortable in their offices.
“We cannot be pampering contractors. If you are holding the money of the federal government, you have to bring it out and do the job or we start going to the Police and the EFCC.
“I am giving you 72 hours to effectively deploy on this road, utilise the money, while I am chasing release of the other money, the president has graciously signed,” he said.
According to Umahi, the Abuja-bound section of the road has suffered severe deterioration, with more than 90 per cent of the stretch damaged.
“If urgent action is not taken within the next few months, the situation will become much worse.
“While the President is doing his best and feeling the pressure, all stakeholders must also play their part,” he said.
He reaffirmed his commitment to enforcing accountability, warning that any official found neglecting their responsibilities would be removed from project supervision duties.
The minister also expressed frustration over what he described as poor oversight and lack of accountability among some staff members.
Umahi vowed to remove ministry officials who fail to effectively supervise federal road projects and sanction contractors performing poorly.
“I am going to remove ministry staffers who are not doing well.You are supervising projects, yet, you cannot answer any question on any of the projects.
“You will be calling out the minister of works and our president.
“You leave people that have failed the nation and you are calling out those who lose their sleep day and night. It’s very annoying,” he said.
Umahi lamented that, while ministry officials neglect their duties, public criticism is often directed at the Ministry of Works and President Bola Tinubu.
He praised the President for supporting infrastructure development across the country.
Also speaking, Chairman of the House Committee on Works, Akin Alabi, reiterated that successful delivery of road infrastructure required commitment from contractors, ministry officials and funding agencies.
Alabi expressed worry over the realities observed on the Abuja-Lokoja road project sites.
“The President cannot be everywhere, and neither can the minister. That is why there are engineers, controllers and supervisors on site.
“What we have seen here suggests that reports reaching the minister do not fully reflect realities on the ground,” Alabi said.
In his remarks,the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Works, Sen. Onyekachi Nwaebonyi, urged ministry officials to be diligent in the discharge of their responsibilities.
Nwaebonyi also appealed to agencies responsible for contractor payments not to undermine the administration’s infrastructure programme through unnecessary delays.
“If approvals have been granted, payments should be made. Nigerians want to see results and are no longer interested in excuses,” he said.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
ATAB/ROT
