By Jane Okafor, Abuja
The Minister of Works, Engineer David Umahi, has asked Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, to stay within the range his competence and training in Electrical Electronics Engineering can handle and not delve into road construction – the realm of civil engineering.
Umahi who was reacting to recent comments by Makinde over the ongoing controversy about the cost of Coastal Highway and other road projects of the current administration, cautioned the Oyo State Governor to steer clear of the matter, saying road construction is way beyond electrical electronics.
The Minister described the governor’s comments as “ignorant” and “mischievous.”
He also expressed disappointment at Makinde’s criticism of the cost per kilometre of federal roads, maintaining that the works ministry’s figures were transparent and supported by sound engineering principles, stressing that his background and expertise in civil engineering prepared him well enough to defend the accuracy of the ministry’s project estimates.
“Governor Makinde is an electrical/electronics engineer, but this is civil engineering. If he doesn’t understand, he should ask. He should also withdraw his comment that I am ‘dancing around,’ or we can have a public debate,” he said.
The Works Minister made his feelings known while inspecting the Keffi section of the Abuja-Mararaba-Keffi Road, along side the Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, on Saturday.
He told his host: “I have a lot of respect for governors and the Governors Forum. But if a governor that is far my junior in engineering and governance insults me, I will talk back.
“One thing I’m very good at is Mathematics. I’m an ‘A’ student in mathematics.”
Controversy on cost per kilometre
The minister said: “This controversy about cost per kilometer, I have told you that this project is about 43 kilometres.
“But we have increased it to utilize the money given for the project by the last administration, which was N73 billion. We have increased it to about 45 kilometers.
“If we are doing surface tracing on the shoulder, the cost will be different. If we are using asphalt on the shoulder, the cost will be different. If we are using concrete as we are using, the cost will be different.
“It is being mischievous when you ask for the cost of a length of road, but by the professorial information, you can ask for cost per kilometer; could be divided to sections.
“First, estimated cost, and estimated cost of this project, you can divide N73 billion over 45 kilometers,. That is the estimated cost. This cost has the element of contingency.
“When you have finished this project – and of course, you can see that in this project, there are places you are using the existing median and there are places you will construct new median – will the cost be the same?
“It is not possible.
“When you have finished, you removed the vop, you removed contingency, you have not used. It is N40 or N70 billion, and probably you have done 50 kilometers.
“Then that is when you divide and have an average cost. Average cost of definitive and estimated cost is a probable element.
“When I heard that somebody, my brother and friend Governor Makinde, the Governor of Oyo State said… I don’t want to join issues with him.
‘Road construction, not electrical engineering’
“I think he is an engineer, an electrician. They called it electrical electronics. This is road construction.
“Electrical electronics does not reach there
“I am his senior in governance and his senior in engineering practice. And so anything he doesn’t understand, he should call me and ask and I will not join issue because I have respect for our governors.
“I have respect for him as my friend and brother but, he should withdraw the word that am dancing around. I never danced around and if he insists, he should come for debate. That is very important.
“There is no ambiguity in cost per kilometer. But I am teaching them that cost per kilometer could be divided into estimated cost, which has element of variance and average cost, which is definitive.
“That is what it is.
“So also is when somebody that is dangling without knowledge; going asking AI what is the difference between cost per kilometer and average cost.
“I am happy that AI told him what I told him. I am happy that NUC program on who is a professor also made me right.
“You can become a professor by the reason of your practice and I think God has made me one when it comes to practical. Field engineering program, that is what it is, you can’t take it back.”
Speaking about the traffic congestion along the Abuja-Mararaba-Keffi Highway, Umahi said the Federal Government would require the buy-in of the Nasarawa State government to find a permanent solution to the problem.
He explained that the state government would be required to take down shanties along the road corridor because there was so much illegal trading activities going on.
Umahi said: “We have market trading on the road in a number of locations. Our inspection today; we are going with the Governor of Nasarawa State.
“If the governor will do the demolition to create additional carriage way, we will fix additional carriage way in those locations and there will be no more traffic in those locations.”
(Additional report Credit: Vanguard News)
