Minister of Works, Mike Onolememen, has unveiled plans by the Federal Government to rehabilitate roads across the country.


In a statement by his media assistant, Mr. Tony Ikpasaja, the minister cautioned officials of the ministry against sharp practices, which he said, were capable of tarnishing the ministry’s image.


Onolememen said the ministry could no longer play “Father Christmas,” under the new dispensation.


Promising to set up proper design offices for road and bridge projects across the country, the minister said President Goodluck Jonathan had given the go-ahead for the recruitment of 562 “young engineers and technicians into the Ministry of Works to boost its capacity.”


The minister said the decision to restructure the ministry was a result of the report by the “Architect Bunu-led Presidential Projects Assessment Committee to the Federal Government.”


He added, “Because of Mr. President’s strong passion for visible changes in road infrastructure development across the country, the restructuring became inevitable so as to enhance service delivery and accountability.”


Onolememen advised Zonal Directors “to regularly inspect projects within their areas and the engineers to live in areas where their sites are situated for effective supervision.”


The minister further urged the officials of the ministry to always do the right thing instead of conniving with contractors to cheat the country. Coming down heavily on engineers, he said most of the street light projects by the ministry were becoming embarrassing.


As part of a new mechanism being put in place by the ministry, Onolememen ordered that all projects must henceforth have laboratories set up in each project site, “to determine the quality and standard of materials being used by contractors.”


This, he said, would determine whether or not the contractors deserved to be paid.


He added that the ministry’s new Materials, Geotechnics and Quality Control Department would regularly carry out tests of materials used by contractors for quality control, warning that the ministry would no longer compromise high standards.

THE TRIBUNE

Now i no that GEJ is doing the right thing he got this planned well,