ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- Traders on the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway, currently undergoing rehabilitation, face potential jail terms as Minister of Works, David Umahi, took decisive action on Saturday, ordering the arrest of individuals engaged in trading activities on the completed section of the Aba axis of the road.
Expressing his disappointment during an inspection of the project, Umahi directed his security details to apprehend the traders, emphasizing that the offenders would face legal consequences according to the existing laws.
Umahi stated, “While Mr. President is passing through sleepless nights on how to solve the problems of a very bad inherited economy, Nigerians should support him and also support themselves. We wouldn’t like a situation where after the Federal Government had spent so much here, we see people building and trading on the road.”
“It appears the people here like to inflict injuries on themselves. They can’t even allow the contractor to work. They drive against traffic and use the completed road as car parks, trading, and dumping of refuse. The whole of refuse generated in Aba is being dumped on this road. It is not encouraging at all.
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“The only way out for this work to be completed is for the Governor to set up a task force and clear the road and I will advise the Governor to set up a task force here. The citizens of this country will need to do their best, while leadership also does its own. That is the only way it will work.”
He further highlighted the challenges posed by traders obstructing the construction process, using completed road sections for parking, trading, and dumping refuse.
Responding to questions from reporters, Umahi expressed satisfaction with the contractor’s work while noting that the project’s prolonged duration was due to the high cost of construction materials.
“When I came on board in August 2023, bitumen was N500,000 per ton, but today it’s about N1.3 million per ton and that is why we are asking, can we go for concrete that is almost 95 percent sourced locally?” he added
He explained the consideration of using locally sourced concrete due to the significant increase in bitumen prices.
The Federal Controller of Works in Abia, Tony Onwubiko, provided details on the project, covering approximately 57km from Abia Tower in Umuahia to the Railway Crossing at Alaoji Umahi also inspected the NNPC Mega Filling Station at Nkwoegwu on the Umuahia section of the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway. He commended Setraco Nigeria Limited for their work but pointed out some errors that need correction.
In a related development, Umahi revealed that President Bola Tinubu has approved funds for the construction of the Second Niger Bridge bypasses, the Lagos-Ibadan highway, and the Lafia bypass during an inspection of the Lafia bypass road and dualisation of the 9th Mile, Enugu-Otukpo-Makurdi Road Project.