By Abah Benjamin Eneojoh/Dada Ahmed in Lokoja
The Federal Controller of Works Kogi State, Engr. Kojogbola J. Olatunde, has announced the intention of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing to partner with Kogi State Ministry of Works to deliver on the “Operation Zero Potholes” agenda of Governor Yahaya Bello, in the Yuletide season.
Kojogbola made this known on Saturday in Lokoja while receiving delegation of the Commissioner for Works and Housing, Engr.Abubakar S. Ohere,led by the Head of Civil Department, Engr Simon Oguche.
The Reporters reports that Oguche earlier revealed that his Team was in Lokoja according to the directive of the Commissioner for Works and Housing,to ascertain the condition of Highways and work progress in the state, as the Christmas approaches.
“Most especially work progress on Murtala Bridge in Janata.” He said.
Oguche reiterated that the passion of Governor Bello to deliver on the ” Let’s Do More” mantra on road infrastructures in the State was “keenly driving us in the State Ministry of Works and Housing.”
The online media recalls that Governor Bello,who on a working visit to the site at Janata, expressed dismay when he was informed that the removal of surface asphalt on the Murtala Bridge had taken three months without substantial progress on work done.
The Governor, after making his enquiry from site Engineers, however, assured that the Federal Government would give immediate attention to the road, adding that he would convey the slow pace of work to the respective quarters.
Responding, thehe Federal Controller of Works in the state, expressed his readiness to work assiduously to make sure there would be no pothole on all the Federal Highways in the state before the Yuletide season.
He hinted that all the flash points in the state were receiving serious attention, including the Jamata Bridge.
” Serious work is ongoing at Felele road, even on Ajaokuta road, we have commenced asphalt overlay and on Lokoja-Ganaja road, contractors have been mobilized to site with three months duration to complete,”he said.
Kojogbola also assured that Jamata Bridge Would be opened in the festive period to ensure free flow of traffic.
Asked whether the section1of Ganaja road will be done before the festive period, the controller explained that the particular place that the road was over-flown by water to opposite side was the section 1.
He added that because the contractor was not ready to commence his job, the contract was revoked saying that a new contractor would commence work soon.
The controller further said “Seeing the effort of both the State Governor and the Honorable Commissioner for Works, we will also join the “operation zero Potholes” agenda of the state”
At Jamata, the representative of the contractor on site, Engr. Martins Adeyinka, noted that his job was not just scarification of asphaltic wearing course but also total overhauling of the Bridge, adding that it would take two years before completion.
Adeyinka further hinted that for the sake of the festive period, his company had been working,both day and night, to make all the road users happy, noting that ‘before the end of the first week of December, everybody will have smooth drive on both lanes of the road.”
The site engineer revealed that the pressure from the road users would not make him do substandard job, stressing that the installation of expansion Joint and the abutment alone would take alot of time.
He, however, said that but because of the Yuletide season “we shall extend all of that to the month January for free traffic flow on the both sides of the road.”
In the same vein, at Gitto Project site in Felele, the thehe project Director, Engr. Frank Rizzo said his work plan and the timeline for this festive period was to make the road passable on both lanes for the travellers in this Yuletide season.
Rizzo apologized for his slowness on the job but attributed the cause to the presence of underground water which he said was later stabilized by addition of sharp sand.
He assured the team that the road would be opened to traffic on both sides upto four kilometers asphalt overlay before the second week of December.
The team leader, Engineer Oguche, called on the contractors to be more committed to their job, stressing that “the only thing that is expected of them is quick and thorough job that could make an accident free road in this festive period.”