Fear God, do the right thing, Umahi tells expatriates, local contractors

By AKOR SYLVESTER-Abuja

The new Minister of Works, and former Governor of Ebony State, David Umahi, yesterday expressed dissatisfaction over the poor state of Nigeria roads, saying the situation of the roads contributed to the rampart road accidents and kidnapping across the country.

Umahi who ddressed  a cross section of contractors from South-west in his office in Abuja Wednesday said, he was disappointed after his inspection Tuesday along several sections of the failed Abuja-Lokoja road.

He expressed worry that several portions of that road were terrible,  constituting death trap to Nigerians.

Further stating his state of mind over the poor state of roads especially in South-west, he advised the contractors to fear GOD and to deliver projects that will meet the yearnings of Nigerians.

The minister added that “if you are given a contract, do it satisfactorily and well.

Kidnapping and accidents have become rampart because of the collapsed expressway roads across the country.

“Contractors should endeavour to do the right thing, because Nigerians blame politicians and leaders for the shoddy work they do.

“Federal Government borrows trillions of naira for infrastructure, yet quality of work is low delivered are more or less substandard.

The Minister also stated his disapontment over the Lokoja-Benin road, explaining that the road which would gulp several billion was awarded without engineering designs.

He urged the contractors to key into President Bola Tinubu’s renewed hope to allow Nigerians breath even as he said that many of the contractors may not be happy with his assessment of their jobs.

According to him “I’m a welfarest, don’t kill Nigerians with biro, you will still make profit when you deliver quality jobs. If you don’t appreciate me, GOD knows that I have done my best and Nigerians will see the work done”.

The Minister added that all files sent for No Objection on work perceived to have been will be critically subjected to review process to determine the extent of work completion.

While exonerating leaders and politicians from the shady work done by contractors, he warned that he will henceforth cease certificates of substandard works.

He stressed that expatriates contractors did bad work in Nigeria as against what they did in their home country.