FG Suspends Ibadan-Ife-Ilesa Road Reconstruction Over Pavement Concerns

The Federal Government has temporarily suspended reconstruction activities on the Ibadan-Ife-Ilesa Road, directing the contractor handling the project to review the pavement mixture specifications being applied on the highway.

The Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, issued the directive on Sunday during an inspection tour of the Osun section of the ongoing road reconstruction project being handled by CBC Global Civil and Building Construction Nigeria Ltd.

Umahi, who inspected the project alongside federal lawmakers and other stakeholders, instructed the contractor to visit another project site to study an approved pavement mixture before returning to continue work.

“Go and check that mixture and then resume your work,” the minister directed.

He also ordered the contractor to reduce activities on the main carriageway and immediately deploy two teams to accelerate the construction of both inner and outer shoulders of the road, describing the shoulder works as critical to the durability of some sections of the highway.

The minister warned that failure to meet the project’s completion timeline could lead to the removal of the Controller of Works supervising the project in Osun State.

Umahi said he had previously redeployed some controllers in other states and would not hesitate to take similar action where necessary, stressing the need for professionalism and accountability among ministry officials.

“I have removed a number of controllers in some states, starting with my own state,” he said, adding that the ministry would train professionals before redeploying them to project sites.

The minister also faulted the issuance of a N2.8 billion palliative certificate to the contractor, saying he had not seen sufficient evidence of the work covered by the approval.

“I am on these roads and I have not seen where the palliative was done, but you already gave a palliative certificate of N2.8 billion,” he said.

He directed the Controller of Works to withdraw the certificate within 24 hours and instructed the contractor to properly execute the required palliative works, including milling failed and cracked sections, applying binder and repairing damaged areas.

Umahi said future working relationships with contractors would depend strictly on performance and quality of delivery.

“My friendship is based on the work. I don’t have a permanent friend or a permanent enemy. We have to take responsibility for what the public has asked us to do,” he stated.

The minister also ordered the immediate removal of heavy-duty trucks parked on newly constructed concrete sections of the road, warning that excessive pressure from such vehicles could weaken the pavement structure.

He further directed contractors handling solar streetlight installations along the corridor to suspend the activity until shoulder construction is completed, noting that the lighting infrastructure should be installed only after the road works are properly finished.

Despite the concerns raised, Umahi commended CBC Global Civil and Building Construction Nigeria Ltd. for its commitment to the project, acknowledging that the company had continued work despite outstanding payments from the government.

According to him, the contractor is handling about 108 kilometres of the road and has completed approximately 70 kilometres, with an average progress rate of about one kilometre per day.