The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has expressed serious concern over the harmful practice of parking fuel tankers and other heavy-duty vehicles on newly constructed roads, warning that it threatens the durability and lifespan of key national infrastructure.
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Umahi made the remark during an inspection of the Aleto Bridge project in Rivers State over the weekend.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Monday by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Francis Nwaze, and made available to journalists in Abakaliki.
“Yesterday I was passing through this road, the entire road we have completed was totally blocked… not by moving vehicles but fuel tankers, they parked on the road,” he said.
He emphasized that no road infrastructure is designed to withstand prolonged static loading from heavy vehicles.
“No road project anywhere in the world is designed for static loads, they will destroy the road,” he added.
The Minister expressed satisfaction with the pace and quality of work being delivered by the contractor, while also commending President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his decisive intervention in sustaining the project.
The Minister described the Aleto Bridge Project as a landmark engineering effort, incorporating modern concrete pavement technology, solar-powered lighting, environmental landscaping, and reinforced structural features.
In line with the Federal Government’s commitment to human capital development, the Minister disclosed plans to integrate young Nigerian engineers into the project through a mentorship programme championed by President Tinubu.
“We are making efforts on President Tinubu mentorship programme where young engineers will come and study what we’re doing here. They are our future leaders and it is a technical project to behold,” he said.
Providing an update on timelines, the Minister noted that one carriageway of the project is expected to be completed before May 25, 2026, with the first phase projected for full completion by August 2026.
“They have promised me that before May 25th that one carriageway of this very innovative construction will be completed and before August the first phase of this project would have been totally completed,” he said.
Umahi further expressed confidence that the second phase, which includes multiple flyovers and bridges, will be delivered within the year.
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