Road infrastructure and project oversight.
Keypoints
- Works Minister Dave Umahi ordered a temporary suspension of work on a section of the Ibadan-Ife-Ilesa Road project.
- The contractor was directed to review pavement mixture specifications before resuming work.
- Umahi instructed the contractor to prioritise construction of road shoulders.
- The minister ordered the withdrawal of a N2.8 billion palliative certificate issued for work he said was not evident on site.
- He also directed the removal of heavy trucks and suspension of premature solar light installations along the project corridor.
Main Story
The Minister of Works, Sen. Dave Umahi, has directed the contractor handling the Ibadan-Ife-Ilesa Road reconstruction project to temporarily suspend work on part of the road and review pavement mixture specifications before continuing construction.
Umahi issued the directive during an inspection of the Osun axis of the project alongside federal lawmakers and other stakeholders. The minister instructed the contractor, CBC Global Civil and Building Construction Nigeria Ltd., to study the pavement mixture being used at another project site and apply lessons from the assessment before resuming work. He also directed the company to slow work on the carriageway and immediately deploy separate teams to complete the outer and inner shoulders in critical locations.
Umahi warned that he could withdraw the Controller of Works in Osun State if project supervision standards did not improve, adding that several controllers had already been removed from sites in other states. The minister criticised the issuance of a N2.8 billion palliative works certificate to the contractor, saying he had not seen evidence of the work on the road corridor. He gave the controller 24 hours to withdraw the certificate and ordered the contractor to carry out the palliative repairs properly, including milling failed sections and repairing cracked areas.
Umahi further directed the removal of heavy trucks parked on completed concrete sections of the road, warning that prolonged loading could weaken the pavement structure. He also halted ongoing solar lighting installations on the project, saying such works should only commence after completion of the road shoulders. Despite the concerns, the minister commended the contractor for maintaining progress on the project despite outstanding payments from government.
According to him, the contractor has completed about 70 kilometres of the 108-kilometre road and is averaging about one kilometre of construction daily.
The Issues
- Quality control in federal road construction projects.
- Proper supervision and certification of public infrastructure works.
- Timely execution of palliative repairs and road rehabilitation.
- Prevention of structural damage during construction.
- Accountability in project management and contract administration.
What’s Being Said
- “I am giving you 24 hours to withdraw the certificate and directed CBC to genuinely go and do the palliative work,” Umahi said while faulting the issuance of a N2.8 billion palliative works certificate for repairs he said were not visible on the project corridor.
- “The moment you have those things parked, it generates internal stress on the concrete,” the minister said while ordering the removal of heavy trucks stationed on completed sections of the road.
- “Solar lights must be done when we are done. You can’t effectively do the solar lights on the shoulders until you have done the shoulders,” Umahi said while directing contractors to suspend ongoing solar lighting installations on the route.
What’s Next
- The contractor is expected to review pavement specifications before resuming work on the affected section.
- The Controller of Works has been directed to withdraw the disputed palliative certificate within 24 hours.
- Repairs on failed and cracked sections of the road are expected to commence.
- Authorities will monitor compliance with directives on truck parking and solar light installations.
Bottom Line
Umahi has intensified oversight of the Ibadan-Ife-Ilesa Road project, ordering a temporary work suspension, stricter quality checks and the withdrawal of a disputed N2.8 billion certificate as government pushes for improved project delivery standards.
