The Minister of Work, Engr. David Nweze Umahi has linked the possibility of achieving President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s eight-point agenda to the availability of a good road network.
The Minister, while declaring open a two-day retreat organised for the Ministry’s Highway Engineers and management staff with the theme “Ensuring Delivery of Mr President’s Agenda on Road Infrastructural Development,” said a good road network was instrumental to achieving food security, ending poverty, improving security, enhancing economic growth, and creating jobs.
Engr. Umahi, in a statement by the Director Information Ministry of Works Mohammed Ahmed, reaffirmed the present administration’s commitment to the reconstruction and rehabilitation of failing major highways across the zones. This will provide robust road infrastructure and alleviate the citizens’ suffering.
He said the massive infrastructural development embarked upon by the present Administration across the country’s six (6) geopolitical zones is premised on stimulating the economy and improving the lives of the citizenry.
He also added that the retreat, which aims to enhance optimum service delivery, efficiency, and unity in road projects nationwide, is expected to help participants ensure that the government gets value for money spent on all projects.
While urging participants, especially the Ministry’s supervisory staff, to use the retreat best to sharpen and improve their technical capabilities, he expressed optimism that they would acquire enough resources to help deliver Mr President’s 8-point agenda.
The Minister maintained that bad roads were tantamount to keeping people in prison, as they hindered their movement.
He called on Highway Engineers to change their _modus operandi _and work professionally, imbibing internationally recommended engineering standards and practices to achieve the objectives of Mr. President’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
He directed that contractors must mobilise to the site before requesting a mobilisation fee.
Acknowledging the need for continuous capacity building for Engineers as an enabler for improving service delivery, he promised that such exercises would be institutionalised.
Umahi also directed all Federal Controllers of Works (FCW) to dismantle all speed-calming devices/measures (speed breakers or bumps) on Federal highways in their respective states, insisting that mounting such bumps is not wrong but should be approved and governed by standard design and specifications.
In his Goodwill Message, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Works, Engr. Olufunsho Adebiyi called for rapid transformation in service delivery in the road sector.
The Minister of State for Works, Muhammadu Bello Goronyo, Esq., eulogised the personality of the Minister, whom he revered and referred to as a go-getter, intelligent, hardworking and highly professional.
He expressed gratitude to all stakeholders for their collaborative efforts in ensuring the success of the present administration, particularly in providing critical road infrastructure.
The House Committee on Works Chairman, Hon Akin Alabi, encourages the Ministry to put in more effort so that our roads work for the citizens. At the same time, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Works, Sen. Mpigi Barinada, called on the need to engage the members of the National Assembly (NASS) to ascertain that the correct appropriation is made to accommodate all Nigerian roads.
He concluded that the Ministry’s good works support the President’s Agenda.
