Minister demands satisfactory job on Owerri-Elele Road
The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs has said that he will not sign any certificate of payment in regard to the Owerri-Elele road construction until a satisfactory job is done.
Usani Uguru Usani said this on Thursday in Owerri during a visit to the site of the project to assess work done by Arab Contractors, the firm handling the project.
Usani said that certificates of payment would be signed only when projects meet the ministry’s job specification and quality as stipulated in the contractual agreement.
He. therefore, urged the contractors to ensure that work done on the 35.75-kms road was commensurate with the amount they collected.
According to him, 15 kms of the dual carriageway have so far been completed.
He said that each carriageway had 1.5 metres and 2.75 metres shoulders from Owerri to Omerelu, both in Imo.
He explained that the pavement had a total thickness of 500mm consisting of 200mm lateritic sub-base material, 200mm crushed stone base course, 60mm asphaltic concrete binder course and 40mm asphaltic concrete wearing course.
The minister said that the road project involved earthwork and construction of underground water drainage within Owerri Township.
He said that it would also include trapezoidal drains at specified sections within other built-up areas along the road, adding that the ministry had also constructed more than 23 culverts designed for the road.
While charging the contractor to maintain high quality work, the minister said he would get road technicians to evaluate work done when next he would inspect the road.
Meanwhile, Mr Mohammed Eledarous, the site engineer of Arab Contractors, identified challenges hindering the smooth execution of the road project to include short dry season in the region and funding.
NAN recalls that the construction of the Owerri-Elele road was awarded at the cost of N21.5 billion in 2009.
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