Dave Umahi

By Edwin Chukwudi

Former governor of Ebonyi state, David Umahi now minister of works under President Bola Tinubu is seen by many as one of the few performing Ministers in the administration. Therefore, it was not surprising to many that he survived the recent cabinet reshuffle. However, for professional engineers, Umahi represents a poor showing as a Minister.

Umahi who was appointed based on his apparent antecedents in office as Ebonyi state governor is regarded by the discerning mind and professional engineer as a product of media hype and packaging. He was touted as having built concrete roads and infrastructure in Ebonyi state. But the reality which has been hidden from most Nigerians is that all the concrete roads built by him in Ebonyi state failed completely.

The concrete roads were riddled with potholes and immediate crack which caused land/sand slides at the edges of all the roads. In many parts of the state, the roads became unmotorable, and the incumbent governor had to award fresh contracts to cover the failed concrete roads with asphalt. The question then is, if Umahi is fully aware that the concrete roads idea was a colossal failure in Ebonyi state why then is he insisting on the introduction of concrete roads across the entire country?

Another white elephant in Ebonyi state which gave Umahi so much national praise is Ebonyi state airport which he built. It is interesting to note that to date, the Ebonyi state airport has yet to receive certification from FAAN and NCAA due to poorly executed civil works. Before the first plane landed on the airport the concrete runway Tarmac was already cracking. These cracks were hastily covered with a layer of asphalt to hide it from the public. This was a joke, as Umahi failed to appreciate the basic engineering principle that asphalt should only be put on a solid base and not on a cracked surface. Umahi failed to realize that asphalt is more flexible and can handle temperature changes better. Such flexibility helps asphalt to resist cracks, particularly in areas with fluctuating temperatures. Also, since runways are critical infrastructure, they need resurfacing to maintain safety and smoothness.

Asphalt runways can easily be resurfaced by adding new layers without having to completely tear up the old surface, thereby making maintenance more efficient and cost-effective. Such quick repairability is essential for safety. Asphalt also provides a smoother surface for takeoff and landing. This smoothness reduces tear and wear on the plane”‘s landing gear and increases safety by providing better friction between tyres and the runway, especially under wet conditions. Unfortunately, Umahi chose to use concrete for the runway and endanger Nigerian lives, as concrete runways are preferably used in countries with winter and extreme temperature conditions.

Umahi” ‘s unprofessional decisions in Ebonyi state are now being replicated across the country under his leadership as minister of works. This has impacted negatively on the nation” ‘s economy since infrastructure is at the base of every thriving economy.

For instance, it is obvious that most production, industrial and import/export facilities are concentrated in the South while other end agricultural production is predominantly in the North. Hence lack of access to good road infrastructure will inevitably bring the economy to a standstill. The previous administration under Babatunde Fashola organized the repairs of critical roads with firm contracts with reputable contractors. But Umahi simply revoked these contract arrangements, and also openly disrespected contractors who have been working in Nigeria for decades.

He exhibited dictatorial tendencies that he was known for as governor of Ebonyi state, threatening to throw them out if they refused to obey his directives which lacked inputs from them(contractors).

He introduced policies such as suspension of VOP, rescoping existing contracts and refusing to adapt the contract prices despite the huge devaluation of the Naira.  He introduced compulsory concrete pavements in already existing contracts, outright cancellation of contracts without regard to provisions of the contract and non-performance of Federal Ministry of Works as regards payments for certificates of jobs completed as well as delay in release of payments.

The minister of works is reportedly forcing all contractors to switch from their previous administration contracts by using concrete. This is not minding that the contractors do not have the proper equipment, and no proper designs are presented. These policies by Umahi are delaying the delivery of roads, especially in the last year. Many believe that the minister is deploying such harsh tactics in order to drop established contractors with the ministry and replace them with his cronies.

The road policy of Umahi is very questionable. He does not appear to be giving President Tinubu the right advice on policy direction. His proposal for the execution of the Calabar- Lagos/Badagry-Sokoto road is ill-timed. While this road might be needed in a long-term policy, it is certainly not a priority now compared to the need to fix critical roads like Warri to Lokoja, the super important Abuja to Kano road, especially as the axis of Abuja to Kaduna has become a travellers nightmare. Instead of implementing traditional repairs and upgrades of existing infrastructure, Umahi is more interested in executing his diabolical concrete roads idea at the Federal level. In about five years down the line such reckless policy will open the country to potentially the biggest road failure in Nigeria”s history.

The style of Umahi is to gamble with taxpayers’ money by exclusively awarding these humongous contracts to the big oligarch companies on a paddy basis, bypassing requisite bid tendering and not complying with the Procurement Act.  Although, Dangote Cement Company has been consistent and efficient in executing concrete road projects, that cannot be said of others.

These unwholesome policies of the minister of works are already affecting the economy in a very bad manner. It has degraded the transport and logistics business and caused increases in transportation costs. Loss on transit time of goods, repair costs etc. The negative impact on the Nigerian economy and on the Naira cannot be over-emphasized. Indeed, the short, medium and long-term implications of these bad roads are inestimable.

It also has serious implications for foreign investments, as foreign contractors operating in Nigeria will have to rethink equipment and capital importation. Most especially, as Umahi does not respect the signed agreements and contracts of his predecessor. How is it possible for contractors to buy new equipment with huge financial implications intermittently and based on changing government policies?

One of the greatest drawbacks of Umahi” ‘s policies is his contravention of ECOWAS road rules. The minister of works is authorizing the importation of cheap Trucks from China that are well over the road weight limit recommended by ECOWAS. With such Trucks plying the concrete roads it would be a matter of time before the roads will fail woefully.

With the present economic situation, this is not the time to further compound the challenges faced by the President Tinubu administration with avoidable poor road policies. It is equally not the time to compensate a former governor known for his dictatorial tendencies and failed roads and airport projects with an important ministry like that of Works.

It is time for President Tinubu to sack Umahi, or redeploy him to a less visible ministry. A stitch in time saves nine.

**Chukwudi, a Lagos-based trained civil engineer can be reached on [email protected]