The minister of works, Dave Umahi, on Tuesday, October 10, threatened to flush out elements within the ministry who have been conniving with contractors to frustrate the government’s efforts at development.

Umahi, who spoke to journalists at the State House, Abuja, after meeting with President Bola Tinubu, also said he would be employing the services of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to prosecute the affected officials.

The minister, who had alleged a hang-up against him by some major contractors on the plan of the federal government to adopt as a policy the use of concrete reinforcement for the construction of roads across the country, however, announced that he now has President Tinubu’s backing for the adoption of the new policy.

Responding to questions from journalists after stating his reasons for meeting the President, the Minister said those within the system, who are benefiting from those threatening him and the country over the new direction being taken by the administration have become a problem in the ministry.

He said: “There are some elements within that are also fighting me, who are also benefiting from the system and that is the greatest problem we have and I just pretended. I will flush those elements out and send them to ICPC to handle them because nobody can hold this country to ransom.”

He, however, added that some have keyed into the policy just as major cement producers have agreed to discount prices for such government road builders.

He also highlighted the advantages of cement roads over asphalt/bitumen, including cheaper costs and the need to encourage local production of cement against the importation of bitumen.

Umahi further warned contractors against the dodgy attitude of securing about 20 projects but ended up deploying as few as two units of equipment to the site. (Nation)

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