UPDATE: After Paying N33bn To Contractor, FG Suspends Construction Of Eleme-Onne East-West Road Project

The Minister of Works, David Umahi on Sunday ordered the immediate suspension of reconstruction work at the Eleme-Onne section of the East-West Road in Rivers State.

Umahi gave the directive after discovering that sub-standard goods were used in the road construction during his inspection visit to the site on Saturday, which was against his directive.

He said, “I saw that the sand used is not river sharp. What we paid for is river sharp sand and I’m not satisfied. The idea is that when you place the lumps, the lump would be good. But when you place the sharp sand there are some voids between the lumps.

“And so the sand will go and fill it and it becomes a compact monolithic pavement structure. When I saw that sand I wasn’t happy”.

Explaining further, Umahi said, “I took that sand and put it on my palm and poured water and I was squizzing it, and at the end of the day, there was nothing left.

“That confirmed that it was very clear. So I directed that the company should be written and they should ensure that they remove the sand, I was very shocked that instead of removing the sand they had continued with the sand.”

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He also lamented the slow pace of the project, irrespective of the federal government’s advance payment of N33bn.

According to him, “The project must benefit the people. The rainy season is coming in two months and the people will go ahead suffering.

“You have our N33bn. Do you know what the interest rate is every month on the bill?

“The president had to order me in September to come here and order the payment because some people in Rivers State went to see the president and we paid you N33bn, since that time till now.

“The contractor is carrying out the job, but at snail speed. If we allow him even another five years he will not finish, so we are not going to allow him.”

He, however, said a meeting with the contractor has been scheduled to look at the anomalies, after which the errors would be ex-rayed and the new timeline would be given to ensure the project is completed.