Minister wants road contractors to adopt rain technology

Roads in the country could be constructed all-year-round if construction companies are ready to adopt technology for constructing roads during rainy season, Minister of Works, Housing and Urban Development, Hassan Lawal, said at the weekend in Calabar, Cross River State.

Mr. Lawal, who was in the state to assess the state of federal roads, said there is no reason for complaints from contractors handling federal roads that persistent rainfall is to blame for the delay in executing their jobs.

“Since Nigeria has two seasons (wet and dry) every year, construction firms should learn this new technology, as government will no more entertain excuses of the rains being responsible for the suspension of construction works,” he said.

The new technology allows for road sites to be bulldozed, graded, covered with stone and asphalted without the rains impeding work. Such roads become even stronger and last longer as water makes them to become more durable.

Speaking at the uncompleted Itigidi bridge, on the Abbo Mege-Abakiliki federal road, the minister said the Federal Government is worried anytime contractors blame their inability to complete jobs on time on rain fall and wondered why such complaints are heard only in Nigeria.

He gave the firm handling the project, Gitto Contruction, up to December 15, 2009 to deliver the bridge for use, adding that the road has been unduly delayed since 2003 that work commenced on it.

The Abbo Mege-Abakiliki road is strategic to states in the South-South and South East because it shortens travelling distance between the two zones and easily connects the zones to the northern parts of the country.

“The Federal Government has released funds to all contractors handling its road projects, hence no contractor should complain of funds being responsible for delay of jobs,” he said. “Delaying jobs means denying Nigerians the dividends of democracy.”

The managing director of Gitto, Dominech Gitto, faulted reports that the bridge has collapsed. He said it was one end of the bridge that caved in, forcing motorists to use just one lane to the bridge. He said the repair will be completed in the next four weeks, given the release of the balance of the contract sum.

During a visit to the Cross River State governor, Liyel Imoke, the minister said he was in the state to inspect the Calabar-Ugep-Ogoja-Katsina-Ala road, that of Ikom-Obudu and Abbo Mege to ascertain the level of work on them. He said work will be completed on the roads in April 2011.

Collapsed transportation system

He said Nigerian roads develop potholes owing to pressure on them caused by the collapse of rail and marine transportation systems in the country. He said this pressure will continue unless the two alternative means of transportation are revived.

Mr. Lawal said it was government’s policy to open all access roads to Nigeria’s borders to facilitate trans-border trade since Nigeria is desirous of becoming the main trading partner to other countries in the west coast.

He said this informed the Federal Government’s decision to release its counterpart fund for the construction of Abakiliki-Ikom-Cameroun trans-West Africa highway. Construction work is yet to commence on the road, but survey has been carried out on it.

Mr. Imoke, who commended the Federal Government for rehabilitating all Trunk A Roads in the state, also called for the rehabilitation of the Calabar-Itu-Ikot Ekpene-Aba road, which he described as notorious and impassable. Contract for it, according to the minister, has been awarded.

Mr. Imoke said the state government is currently constructing 400 kilometre of feeder roads in the state.