Indigenous Contractors Nationwide to be Given a Pride of Place in the Construction Industry Under the Renewed Hope Administration of President  Tinubu with more Opportunities  for  Road Construction  on Concrete Technology   1.    In the vision to promote  local content as a major game changer in the economic  recovery plans of the Renewed Hope administration of the President of Nigeria, His Excellency, President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, the Honourable Minister of Works,  His Excellency Sen. Engr. Nweze David Umahi CON has assured  that his Ministry would  promote indigenous  resources, skills and capacities through  creating more opportunities for local contractors in the construction industry, especially  in the new innovation  of concrete technology  being  used in   tough terrains across  the nation. The Hon. Minister  stated  this when he paid  inspection  visits  to some flood sections along the East  West Road in Delta  State undergoing  remedial  work by an indigenous contractor, Messrs.  True Tech Nigeria  Ltd.   2.    The  Honourable Minister, who was very impressed  by the good job being  done by True Tech Nigeria  Ltd said  his Ministry  would  do everything  possible  to ensure  value for money, create wealth and jobs for indigenous professionals and technicians,  introduce  engineering solutions that are more economical and discourage  delays  in project delivery. He said of the project, "  We have about 10 different washouts, which we are providing multiple culverts in place of a decompile, which would have been much more expensive. But our solution is very economical, and it will solve the engineering problems. And then we're raising the road level above the flood level. And we are also using a concrete pavement to do it."  He said also that solar light would  be put on the axis  when the  project  is completed. "We're also going to put  solar light, at least let it be the signature of Mr. President, and that will be the microcosm of the macrocosm of what Nigerians should expect on our roads under the administration of Mr. President".   3.    Meanwhile, the Honourable Minister of Works  has directed all Controllers of Works  to ensure that all contractors use 70% stone base aggregate  with only 30% dust base to form the base of the  road construction  jobs. He gave this  directive  when he inspected the dualization of Sapele- Agbor road, route no. 3 in Delta  State  handled  by CGC Nigeria  Ltd. He, however, commended  the construction company  for their good  job. " CGC is known  for a good job. I commend  you for the  one I have seen. It's  good, so we will do everything  to assist  you, but listen to our directive. Follow  the existing  asphalt, pulverize it, and put 20cm stone base. Don't  use dust base. "   4.    The Minister, who also inspected  the rehabilitation of  Warri- Sapele road via route no. 2, section  3 in Delta  State, handled  by  SKECC Nigeria  Ltd; the  Benin- Warri road  rehabilitation, section  2, Sapele- Imasabor, handled  by Geld Construction  Nig  Ltd/ Tracter  Nigeria  Ltd in Delta  State; Benin- Warri road, section 1( Imasabor- Benin  in Edo State,  handled  by  Levant Nigeria  Ltd; as well as the Benin- Agbor route no 4 and Benin By-pass route  5 all in Edo State, gave and ultimatum  directing Geld Construction  Nigeria  Ltd/ Tracter Nigeria Ltd  to within  14 days justify  the mobilization  received  or have their job terminated. "After 14 days  of this warning notice and there's  nothing  happening, I will come and terminate the job.".  ...

FG Commences Construction of 700 Km Lagos- Calabar Coastal Road and Maintenance of Piers and Other Under Bridge  Works of Critical Bridges in Lagos   1. As part of strategic plans for holistic economic recovery, the Federal Government has commenced the construction of the 700km Lagos- Calabar Coastal Highway, spanning 9 States with two spurs leading to the Northern States.  This was expressed by the Honourable Minister of Works, His Excellency Sen. Engr. Nweze David Umahi, CON, during the official handover of the first phase of the project, made up of 47.47 kilometers dual carriageway, to Hitech Construction Company Ltd, and which is to be constructed in concrete pavement.   2. The Hon. Minister who was in company with the Federal Ministry of Works' Controller in charge of Lagos State, Engr. (Mrs) O. I. Kesha, emphasized the need for all contractors handling Federal Government’s road projects to deliver within a record time, noting that the government would not allow variation arising from delays or slow pace of work once mobilization had been done. He, however, commended very highly Hitech Construction Company Nigeria Ltd for being reputable for quality and speedy delivery of jobs. He acknowledged their efforts in starting work immediately after the contract was awarded. He said, " They have completed some filling of 1.3 kilometer from the day the project was awarded to them. It shows the speed they are going to deploy to this project. Within a couple of weeks, we awarded the project to them, they mobilized a lot of dredging equipment, and you can see that they have recovered 1.3 kilometer of section one of the phase".   3. The Honourable Minister  who also visited  project  sites at the Queen's Drive Ikoyi, the Third Mainland  bridge top deck, the  underwater, the Eddo bridge,  the Eko bridge  and Carter  bridge expressed  the determination  of the Federal  Government  to carry out a comprehensive  rehabilitation  of the  bridges which  he  said are critical links between  the  Mainland  and the  Island  of  Lagos,  the economic  hub of the country. These repairs are expected to cover not only the top of the bridge but also the under-bridge works. He said, " At the Third Mainland bridge, we have three or four critical elements to be rehabilitated. The first one is the deck, and the deck is about 11 kilometers × two. That is dual carriageway, including the ramps, and it has been done by CCECC. They have done very beautiful jobs, but we have not concluded.  Before the end of March, we'll be concluding the asphalt milling and the reasphalting.  He further said, "But that is not all our commitment there. We are installing the guardrails, we are replacing the lights with solar light, we are going to put some decorative lights too, and then we are going to put CCTV camera both on top and under the bridge to check insecurity and illegal mining of sand, which is causing scouring on the piles and the pipe bits. The second job is that some sections of the slab are deflected, and so what we have done is to get an expert to understudy the level of deflection. That's the tendons of the slab that deflected. And so, we are going to cut open the slabs, enter and then look at it, scoop it, and then reinstate the tendons of the slab. There's nothing to worry about. It's been done at a Eko bridge by Buildwell. So, this one is not a threat to us at all.   4. He commended what Julius Berger Nigeria Ltd is doing already, which is restoration of deteriorated peirs and peir caps including the cover of peirs and peircaps themselves, and said the piles which he also inspected  were the most  critical of the works to be done.   5. Earlier  in their  respective  remarks, the State  Controller,  Federal Ministry of Works  and the representatives  of  Hitech Construction Nigeria Ltd, Julius Bergger  Nigeria  Ltd, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation Ltd,  and. Buildwell Nigeria  Ltd assured  the Honourable Minister  that they would continue to work in line with the   spirit  of excellence, which the Renewed Hope administration of His Excellency President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR  is known for. ...

Federal Government in Discussion with African Development Bank (AFDB) Over Funding of Sections of the Coastal and Trans-Sahara Highways for Greater Regional Transport Environment and Economic Integration   1. As part of the action plan of the  Federal  Government to increase  the economic opportunities of the nation and enhance  the transnational investment process as envisioned by the Renewed Hope administration of the President of Nigeria, His Excellency, President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, the Hon. Minister of Works, His Excellency Sen. Engr Nweze David Umahi CON has  opened  a discussion with African Development Bank on possible funding for  the construction of some sections  of the Coastal  and Trans- Sahara Highways in parts  of Nigeria. He stated this in a meeting with a delegation from Africa Development Bank (AFDB) led by the Director, Infrastructure and Urban Development, Mike Salawou held at the office of the Honourable Minister Federal  Ministry  of Works, this  5th March 2024.   2. This project, which the Honourable Minister said would be a measure to provide enduring infrastructure and industrialization along the corridors, is expected to carry a large network of paved highways that will create a good transport environment and trade routes for moving goods and services along the North- South corridors.  The Honourable Minister  said opportunities of investment on infrastructure  development abound along the coastal and trans-sahara routes, including opportunities  for investment  in the hospitality  industry, tourism, agricultural production, estate, park, and industrial business He said that  funding  would  be required  to tackle the sections  of the Coastal and Trans-Sahara Highways not yet constructed, awarded, or taken over by concessionaires under the  Highway Development and Management Initiative(HDMI). According to him "The coastal road is 700 km. That is phase one and it is running from Lagos through Ogun State to Ondo State, passing through the coastal States of Delta, Bayelsa, Port Harcourt, Akwa Ibom, and ending in Cross River in 700 kilometers. We have spores to the Ogoja road, the one you did, the African Trans- Sahara Road that is going to Cameroon."  He further said."We are sectioning the roads. Just last week, we awarded section one, phase one, and phase one is 47.47 kilometers. It's already awarded to Hi-tech Construction Limited. We have phase two, which is about 57 kilometers, taking us from the end of phase one. Phase one ends at Lekki Peninsula. It takes us from Ahmadu Bello Way to Lekki deep seaport. Phase two takes us to the boundary between Ogun State and Ondo State. That's about 57km"“. And also said, "it's going to be available for a number of funders under the lead investor, That's Hi-tech Construction Nigeria Limited. So that is available, and when discussion comes up, then there will be a need for us to meet with Hi-tech and the Honourable Minister of Finance Coordinating Minister of the Economy".   3. Earlier in his mission statement, the spokesperson of the team from Africa Development Bank. (AFDB) and Director of Infrastructure and Urban Development said the bank has a mandate to contribute to the sustainable economic development and social progress of its regional members individually and jointly and is therefore prepared as a multilateral institution to offer a robust partnership to the Federal Government of Nigeria, especially by providing technical and financial support for the development of road infrastructure in Nigeria.  He said, "So as the African Development bank, we are ready to assist you. To make it easy for us, we need to have any studies available to make sure how we can support you on this project. So we are ready, we can see where we can find the resources to support you in structuring the different projects" He further added" And the third one, the dualization of the road between Nigeria and Cameroon will foster regional integration between the two counties, because I believe Nigeria is Cameroon's number one trade partner So, we need to reinforce the modernized infrastructure there." ...