Federal Government Introduces New Policy Guidelines for Road Construction
The Federal Ministry of Works has introduced a set of new policies aimed at transforming road construction in Nigeria. These policies, unveiled by the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, are intended to address the slow pace of work and extend the lifespan of federal roads.
According to a policy document shared with journalists on Friday by Uchenna Orji, the Special Adviser to the Minister on Media, the new measures include the adoption of rigid pavements, limiting contractors' claims for price variations, removing the consumer price index from contracts, and standardizing pricing across different zones.
Additional policies introduced by the Ministry include enhanced supervision of ongoing projects, the introduction of whistle-blowing mechanisms for substandard work, prioritization of projects within key economic corridors, and the requirement to complete one carriageway before starting the second in dualized road projects.
The Ministry has also collaborated with the Ministry of Steel Development to revitalize the Ajaokuta Steel Company, established the Renewed Hope Infrastructure Development Fund, and initiated the second phase of the Highway Development Management Initiative.
These initiatives, according to the Ministry, are designed to ensure efficient use of funds, improve road quality, and foster economic growth.
The Minister emphasized that these policies are part of the Renewed Hope Road Infrastructure Revolution Agenda, which seeks to significantly improve the road sector under President Bola Tinubu's administration.
The Ministry encouraged stakeholders to review the policies and watch the accompanying video detailing the systematic and strategic actions that are making a difference in the road sector.
The document partially reads: “The Ministry has developed new policies to mitigate the slow pace of work and enhance the longevity of Federal Roads.”
Key aspects of the new policies outlined in the document include:
Adoption of Rigid Pavements: Utilizing Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavement instead of Flexible Pavement (Bituminous) where appropriate, especially in areas with high water levels and poor soil conditions.
Reduction in Price Variation Claims: Minimizing contractors' claims for price variations, saving government funds and reducing frequent requests for contract augmentations.
Elimination of the Consumer Price Index (CPI): Removing CPI from all contracts to ensure the government gets value for money.
Uniform Pricing: Implementing consistent pricing within each zone to ensure fair rates for project procurement.
Enhanced Project Supervision: Mandating all field staff to be on-site to supervise ongoing projects.
Whistle-Blowing Mechanism: Engaging stakeholders such as local communities and road users to monitor and report substandard work.
Other introduced policies include:
Collaboration with the Ministry of Steel Development: Revitalizing the Ajaokuta Steel Company’s Light Section Mill to produce 7 million tons of iron rods for concrete construction.
Critical Project Review: Reviewing and rescoping projects that require immediate attention and funding.
Renewed Hope Infrastructure Development Fund: Establishing a fund to improve financing for critical highway projects.
Highway Development Management Initiative (Second Phase): Launching the second phase, which involves the financing, construction, and management of federal roads under a Public-Private Partnership scheme.
Project Quality Assurance: Subjecting subgrade, sub-base, and base course to 60 days of vehicular movement and continuous sheep-foot rolling before pavement placement.
Road Maintenance: Ensuring the maintenance of all roads under construction throughout the project's lifespan.
Detailed Road Design: Basing road infrastructure designs on comprehensive environmental site condition reports, including Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIA) and geotechnical reports.
Communication Enhancement: Creating a WhatsApp group for top management staff to facilitate communication.
State-Level Validation: Involving State Commissioners of Works in validating ongoing projects before payments are made.
FERMA Engagement: Engaging the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) in emergency jobs across states within their funding limits.