Minister of Works, David Umahi, has directed that contractors handling federal projects under the ministry must first mobilize to the site before requesting mobilization fees.
Umahi said this while declaring open a two-day retreat organized for highway engineers and management staff of the ministry, with the theme, “Ensuring Delivery of Mr President’s Agenda on Road Infrastructural Development” in Abuja.
The Director of press and Public Relations of the ministry, Mohammed Ahmed, who disclosed this yesterday, said: “He (Umahi) directed that, henceforth, contractors must mobilize to site before requesting for mobilization fee.”
The minister reiterated President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to fulfill his obligations to Nigerians, especially in the area of service delivery.
He stated that the availability of good road network was instrumental to: achieving food security, ending poverty, improving security, enhancing economic growth and job creation, which remained top on the president’s list of priorities.
Engr. Umahi explained further that the massive infrastructural development embarked upon by the present administration across the six geo-political zones of the country was premised on stimulating the economy and improving the lives of the citizenry.
He re-affirmed the administration’s commitment towards the reconstruction and rehabilitation of failing major highways across the zones, which will provide robust road infrastructure, as well as alleviate the sufferings of the citizens.
Commenting on the retreat, Umahi pointed out that it was aimed at enhancing optimum service delivery, efficiency, and unity in the delivery of road projects, nationwide.
He said it was expected to help participants ensure the government got value for money expended on all projects.
While urging participants, especially the ministry’s supervisory staff, to make the best use of the retreat to sharpen and improve their technical capabilities, he expressed optimism that they would acquire enough resources to help in delivering the President’s 8-point agenda.
Earlier, the minister who maintained that bad roads were tantamount to keeping people in prison as it hindered their movement, also called on highway engineers to change their modus operandi and work professionally, imbibing internationally recommended engineering standards and practices, to achieve the objectives of the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President.
Umahi equally directed all federal controllers of works to dismantle all speed calming devices/measures (speed breakers or bumps) on federal highways in their respective states, insisting that there was nothing wrong in mounting such bumps but noted that there should be approval and standard design and specifications guiding such endeavours.
In his goodwill message at the event, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Works, Engr. Olufunsho Adebiyi, expressed gratitude to the minister for approving, as well as gracing the occasion.
While appealing for rapid transformation in service delivery in the road sector, the permanent secretary, however, formally, presented to the minister a team of transformed engineers who were willing to support the government achieve its Renewed Hope Agenda.
The Minister of State for Works, Muhammadu Bello Goronyo, on his part, eulogised the personality of the minister whom he revered and referred to as a go-getter, intelligent, hardworking and highly professional.
