The Federal Ministry of Works has expressed dissatisfaction with the level of mobilisation by the contractor handling the Lambata–Lapai–Bida Road project, urging faster action.

Minister of Works David Umahi, while inspecting the road on Saturday, emphasised the need for urgency in the rehabilitation against the backdrop of the tanker explosion that claimed many lives on October 21 around the Essa village in Niger State.

The minister expressed his displeasure, saying, “The level of mobilisation is not enough. You cannot explain what you are doing here.

“Do some palliative work on the road so that motorists will not have any form of gridlock on the road again. So, it is better you mobilise very well and bring more machines to the site.”

The 124.8-kilometre road project, awarded in 2018, experienced some setbacks but was taken over by President Bola Tinubu’s administration and divided into phases one and two for completion.

Phase one of the project, covering 92 kilometres from Lambata to Agai, is valued at ₦39 billion. It was initially designed to last for 24 months but was extended by another 24 months due to delays.

Phase two, which covers the most critical section from Agai to Bida, is yet to be awarded.

Mr Umahi, represented by Salihu Ahmed, director of highways, North-Central, directed the immediate mobilisation of additional equipment and personnel to speed up the pace of the project.

He said this was necessary to speed up rehabilitation and to carry out some palliative work on the Lambata–Lapai–Bida Road to facilitate passage.

Mr Umahi said the ministry would re-scope the project to determine the extent of work required on the uncompleted section and ensure rapid progress.

“The contractor needs to mobilise more equipment to the site and let us have free movement of vehicles. Failure to do so, in the next one or two weeks, we will see action,” he added.

The project manager at CGC Nigeria, Fan Bo, assured that the company would mobilise additional equipment within days to intensify work and ease movement along the route.

Also speaking, the deputy director of construction at the Niger State Ministry of Works and Infrastructure Development, Nasir Ahmed, commended the minister’s directive.

“This is a follow-up to the Niger State governor’s efforts. The minister wants serious action so that there will be no more gridlocks or accidents on this road,” he said.

Mr Ahmed urged motorists, especially truck drivers, to ply the road patiently and cooperate with the contractors during the construction period.

Meanwhile, on the minister’s directive, the delegation paid a condolence visit to the district head of Essa in Katcha Local Government Area, Muhammad Daud, over a recent tanker explosion that claimed several lives along the route.

The district head appreciated the visit but expressed concern about recurring accidents, urging road safety officials to clamp down on individuals who hang or sleep on moving heavy-duty vehicles.

(NAN)