By Jude Njoku

Traffic jam at Ore

The Federation of Construction Industry (FOCI) has attributed the delay in flagging off work on the massive rehabilitation of the dilapidated Benin -Ore Road on design and engineering error and not dearth of funds.

Engr Williams told Vanguard Homes & Property that the engineering design of the road was faulty and needed amendment before work would commence.

“Take for instance the ongoing road construction from Orile Iganmu to Badagry by Julius Berger; when you have a design or concept of the road, the concept is just an idea that is put on paper, I must do this, widen it to have a rail line and the design is put forward. But you need the assistance of the selected contractor to perfect that your concept to become a reality. I can also tell you that Julius Berger had mobilised long before we all started seeing their activity because they had to stay back and correct the engineering of the road before actually commencing the job because once you commence, you don’t get to a place and stop and start thinking how do I cross that bridge. On that Ore-Benin road as explained by the Minister, no thorough study was carried out. It is an existing road, somebody just checked the whole set of drawings and said we can turn it into a better dual carriageway without looking at the different geological problems on the texture of the road works itself and whether there should be bridge there or not. Because there is erosion everywhere and in all that area where you have erosion cutting the road, if you tar the road, give it another two years, it will start washing away and the road will completely collapse,” he said.

Engr Williams however advised the Minister to ensure that “whatever he wants to do should be done before he leaves office. If the design and the engineering is to be corrected, let him correct it within the remaining one and half months that he has before leaving that office”.

Reacting to a question on the controversy surrounding the award of contract for the rehabilitation of the Apapa -Oshodi expressway, Engr Williams called on the Minister of Works, Senator Sanusi Daggash to ensure that contract for the rehabilitation of the all important road is awarded before he leaves office in the next one month.

“If Julius Berger has been selected to be given the job and Julius Berger has not officially been given the award letter, the Minister may want to save himself from further questioning by not saying it has been awarded. Probably, it is a question of selection, so Julius Berger is equally right; until I see the award in black and white duly signed by the Minister or the President, then it is not taken yet as an award of contract. But I know that there is something is on ground on that road but again like I said for the Ore-Benin road, the Minister should ensure that it is firmly signed before he leaves because that is a major road for this country,” the FOCI boss said.

On shoddy jobs being done by some contractors, Engr Williams called on the government to de-list any contractor found to have performed poorly.

“ Individual ministries have their officers who are to check the quality of what is being constructed and no certificate will be issued for any shoddy construction except there is a collusion. About two years ago, we talked about collapsed structures and we raised the issue of liability of doing the work as specified by the design. It is not only the construction industry but also those that are issuing out the contract. They are the inspectors giving out the jobs, the responsibility is that of the contractors and any contractor that has been found to have done a shoddy job should be de-listed. Such organisation should not invite such a company again for the issuance of further work because any job you do must have a life span. You buy a shirt now, you don’t expect that you wear that shirt and the following day, you wash it and all the colouring of the shirt is gone. Any contractor that is doing shoddy jobs should be de-listed; we are not in support of that at all,” he said.