FG is Committed to the Engineering Values in Road Infrastructure Development as Supervision Occupies a Centre Stage in the New Policy of the Federal Ministry of Works   The Federal Government under President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR is committed to outstanding quality, value for money, innovation, responsiveness, fast deliveries and technical expertise in road infrastructure development in Nigeria. This was contained in the message of the Hon. Minister of Works, Sen. Engr. Nweze David Umahi, CON when the national leadership of Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) led by its President, Engr.   Tasiu Sa'ad Gidari Wudil paid him a courtesy call in his office in Abuja on 23rd November, 2023.   The Hon. Minister emphasized the importance attached to quality delivery of construction works by the Renewed Hope administration of Mr. President stressing that the 'business as usual' syndrome in road construction is no longer tenable under the Renewed Hope administration of Mr. President. He reeled out the new policies on road infrastructure to include:   • good stabilized and tested subgrade, sub-base course before pavement placement. • expose subgrade, sub-base and base course to 60 days vehicular movement and continuous sheep-foot rolling before pavement placement. • introduction of reinforced concrete road pavement in most roads’ carriageway and shoulders. • continuous maintenance of all roads under construction throughout the life of the project under contract. • effective design of road infrastructure anchored on detailed report of environmental site conditions and geotechnical report. • community relations in terms of keeping roads motorable under the period of the contract.   He said that supervision was necessary in the actualization of quality delivery of road construction whether concrete pavement or asphalt, noting that each of the two models has its own attendant conditions. “When you start to compare asphalt and concrete, it is if all things are equal, here all things are not equal, there are many factors why we are talking about concrete”.   He noted that the stand of the Ministry is not about comparing asphalt and concrete pavement but that if you are using either of them, there are conditions attached to them. He said there are certain terrains on our roads that make it   imperative for concrete pavement to  be used." You cannot put asphalt in water but you can put concrete in water”.   The Minister explained that the rate of increase in the cost of materials for construction of the two models is alarming  and argued that the cost of materials for  asphalt  is in  geometric progression while the cost of  materials for  concrete pavement  is in arithmetic progression. He reiterated that prudence and value for money are the watchwords of the Ministry of Works under him, and this involves getting materials at the minimum purchase price and maximum efficiency and effectiveness of the product. He urged the leadership of Nigerian Society of Engineers to consider retraining of members of the society and enforcement of discipline and strict standards of ethics in the practice of Engineering in Nigeria in the interest of public safety and for the protection of the economic investments.   " I went to China, and I saw their roads, there was no evidence of any maintenance in nearly 30 years. And I asked them what the reason is, and they said that if you build a road in China and within your lifetime, the road fails, they will come for test and if there is any evidence of compromise, the person responsible goes to prison for life".   The Hon. Minister offered partnership with the NSE in the area of supervision and consultancy.   In his mission statement earlier, the President of Nigerian Society of Engineers ( NSE) said the  aim of the courtesy call was to seek areas of collaboration with their own and described the Hon. Minister as a round beg in a round hole "Since after your assumption of office, we have been monitoring your  progress, and  I must tell you we are not surprised, what you did as Governor in Ebonyi State is amazing. We visited you when you were the Governor of Ebonyi State, and I am going to visit your Governor now. I must go because it is like a pilgrimage.... In fact, Your Excellency, we are proud of you."   The President said that the Society which is an umbrella organization for Engineering profession in Nigeria is committed to best Engineering practices. He enumerated the achievements of the Society and the prospects of their smart office project, and expressed hope that it would be an innovation hub of the nation. ...

Asphalt Pavement and Concrete Pavement not Compared - Umahi.   .....We will Partner with NSE   The Minister of Works, Sen. Nweze David Umahi has reiterated the stand of the Ministry on the use of either asphalt or concrete on the construction of federal roads across the nation saying that each one has conditions attached to its usage.   He made this assertion when the President of the Nigeria Society of Engineer, Engr. Tasiu Sa’ad Gidari Wudil paid him a courtesy visit in his office in Abuja.   Umahi stated that there are many factors why the issue of concrete technology came up and it’s only because all things are not equal and can only be understood by professionals and not by people who have no knowledge about it.   “When you start to compare Asphalt and Concrete, it is as if all things are equal, here all things are not equal, because there are many factors why we are emphasizing about the use of concrete, nevertheless, people speak about  a profession they have no knowledge about” He said.   He noted that the stand of the Ministry is not about comparing asphalt pavement and concrete pavement but that if you are using either of them, there are certain conditions according to the terrains in different states that will require our roads being built with concrete as well as that concrete must be used as pavement.   “We are not just comparing asphalt and concrete, no, that is not what we are doing, first of all, for the use of asphalt, these are the conditions, also for the use of concrete, these are the conditions, but there are certain terrain in states that we stressed must use concrete, we cannot change that.  You cannot put asphalt in water, but you can put concrete into water” he said.   The Minister explained that the rate at which the prices of these two products fluctuates is alarming and that increment in asphalt is Geometric while that of concrete is in Arithmetic progression noting that the FG is the one funding these huge projects and must tread with caution taking into consideration the budgetary allocation of the Ministry of Works.   Umahi expressed his worries saying that the greatest challenge experienced in road construction is the problem of supervision caused by lack of commitment by not putting professional ethics over and above chasing of money but that the Ministry is committed to providing adequate supervision to all road constructions across the 36 states and the FCT.    "If we are committed to public things, God will give you new ideas, if you are not committed to public things, you will not get new ideas “he said.   The Minister declared that the Ministry will partner with the Nigeria Society of Engineers in the supervision of all road projects across the country and encouraged NSE to improve on the professionalism by opening a training school, both in the North and  in the South one each, while he  pledged his support.   “We are going to partner with NSE in the supervision of all road projects and will also   emphasis the need for retraining schools across states. Engineering is wide, if you are a professional engineer, you will not have problem with professional ethics” he said.   Umahi maintained that the first job of Nigeria Society of Engineer is to bring discipline among members by setting standard for membership in the sense that if any action against the profession is committed, one can be disrobed noting that everyone cannot be an engineer.   “The first job of NSE is to bring discipline, you have to bring us under your leadership so if you hear that a member has committed fraud, you can disrobe him, and it is not everyone that will answer the name -Engineer” he said. ...

Thinking Out of The Box and Inter- Ministerial Co-Operation Resonate as Mr. President's Minister of Works and The Minister of Steel Development Brainstorm on Tapping into the Opportunities in Ajaokuta Steel Plant for The Development of Concrete Road Infrastructure in Nigeria   The Honourable Minister of Works, His Excellency Sen. Engr. Nweze David Umahi, CON and the Hon. Minister of Steel Development, Shuaib Audu have resolved to synergize and strategize in tapping into the opportunities in Ajaokuta Steel Plant for the development of road infrastructure in Nigeria.   This was part of the outcome of their inter-ministerial meeting held today, 21st November, 2023 at the Office of the Hon. Minister of Works, Federal Ministry of Works, Headquarters, Mabushi- Abuja and this is in keeping with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Sen. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR who is doing everything possible to reverse the ugly trend of Nigeria's developmental history and revolutionize national economic development within the shortest period of time.   The far-reaching resolutions of the two Hon. Ministers underscored the imperative of coordination, cooperation coherence, and complementarity in the execution of Federal Government's action plans for national development.   Speaking on the outcome of their meeting, the Hon. Minister of Works said that the Ministry of Steel Development would play a major role in the road infrastructure revolution plan envisioned by Mr. President by providing more than 16% of the materials needed for the construction of Nigeria's roads in concrete pavement. He said that tapping into the opportunities in Steel Industry would not only create jobs and wealth for Nigeria's population, but it would also create a global market and encourage industrialization.   "How do we reactivate Ajaokuta Steel. We are going into concrete road, in this concrete road, about 16 percent of it is from Steel while 30 percent is cement. We need a lot of money to start but we decided to face it and God has given us an idea, we need about 35 billion dollars to start. If we start waiting for FG, it might become difficult. We did Return on Investment (ROI), the profit we could have made, part of it will go to bank interest, we are looking at commercial bank, but Federal Executive Council has to endorse it. If this could be done it means Mr. President is actually living to his words, and this is going to be possible."   The Hon Minister of Works also commended the Hon. Minister of Steel Development for his efforts in developing the steel sector, noting that steel industry is the bedrock of Nigeria's industrialization and the backbone that stimulates national development and economic boost for the industrial growth of any nation. He assured the Hon. Minister of  Steel Development that his Ministry would work collaboratively in his efforts of  enhancing the potentialities of Ajaokuta Steel Plant- the largest Steel Mill in Nigeria.   "Mr. President never made a mistake in his appointment, I call him a Divine President, and the most important thing is that our eyes are on the job”.   The Minister continued, “One of the renewed hope agenda of Mr. President is to think outside the box, Mr. President inherited a large chunk of debt from the past administration. The beauty about it is that he is not complaining, he knew how the country was before he took the job and how it is. The good thing is that if you have passion for something God will give you an idea”.   Earlier, the Minister of Steel Development said the meeting was robust and incisive “My mission is a wonderful one, I had a fantastic meeting initiated by the Hon. Minister of Works.  We are seriously thinking outside the box to see how we can implement the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr. President. What we came to discuss here is how to restart Steel production at Ajaokuta Steel Plant. The Hon. Minister of Works has made it very clear that the Federal Government is looking to develop over 30,000 kilometers of road and a large component of that will be from Steel wrought, and percentage of that Steel wrought will be produced in Ajaokuta. We came to have a discussion on how to implement the process for producing it in Ajaokuta within the shortest possible time".   The Hon. Minister of Steel Development emphasized the importance of the initiative by both Ministers and expressed hope that it would provide the needed economic boost for the nation, generate revenue and provide thousands of direct jobs for skilled and non- skilled technicians and hundreds of thousands of unskilled jobs in Nigeria. "And we are to achieve 2 or 3 three things , one to create job opportunity for Nigerians  as a whole, two, to ensure that the corridor around the North Central Zone and around the Ajaokuta Warri axis is busy with activities and thirdly, the plant has been inactive for close to four decades and we are here to restart the plant within the shortest possible time”. ...