The Minister of Works, Sen. David Umahi, over the weekend responded to the criticisms of the governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, over the cost of road construction. According to him, the Oyo State governor, who he said was his junior in engineering and in governance, is an electrical/electronics engineer; therefore, he does not understand the engineering in road construction The Minister explained this while on inspection of the Keffi section of the AbujaMararaba-Keffi Road, alongside the Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, on Saturday. He told Nassarawa State governor: “I have a lot of respect for governors and the Governors Forum. But if a governor who 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, 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 the cost per kilometer; it could be divided into 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 remove the top, you remove the 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. The average cost of definitive and estimated costs 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 no reach there (This is beyond Electrical Electronics Engineering). “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 I am dancing around. I never danced around, and if he insists, he should come for the debate. That is very important
