By Tony Okafor, Awka
The new Minister for Works, Senator David Umahi has assumed office amidst jubilation and promise of speedy completion of works across the country.
In a statement made available to our correspondent in Awka, the Anambra State capital, stated that Umahi, the immediate past Governor of Ebonyi State, while addressing staff of the ministry alongside contractors handling various projects in the country promised to replicate his exploits as governor in Ebonyi State in the area of infrastructure.
The Minister while decrying the worrisome state of federal roads across the country, said the Ministry of Works under his watch would explore various grey areas of using local contents in road construction which would include but not limited to use of concrete pavement.
He said the Ministry would in near future adopt the Public Private Partnership (PPP)which would enable private sector participation in construction of federal roads and running same for a period of time.
The Minister however said the issue of tolling federal highways would be brought to the front burner, adding that what the ministry was concerned more about was the speedy completion of various road contracts across the country.
He said, ‘We are going to be reintroducing the PPP to allow private individuals or firm take part in our road construction and running same for a period of time. We are not going to introduce tolling on our federal expressway but maybe, with time we will but what matters now is to fix these roads”
He vowed to dismantle unnecesary bureaucratic bottlenecks which he identified had been a clog in the wheels of progress in the ministry by ensuring that civil servants working with the ministry adopt more speedy approach in working in synergy with contractors.
The Minister further disclosed that the ministry would be introducing construction of roads on rigid pavement to enable the roads last, adding that that was part of the innovations he brought to bear in Ebonyi as governor.
In a related development, the Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello paid a courtesy call on the Minister where he described him as great man who had full knowledge of road infrastructure and a man who had solution to the road challenges in the country.
