Umahi orders immediate repairs of flooded Lafia-Makurdi highway

The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has directed the immediate deployment of the ministry’s personnel and the maintenance team of China Harbour Operations and Maintenance company, for the repair of the flooded section of the Lafia-Makurdi highway.

Weekend Trust reports that the flooded section was blamed by the presidency for not enabling President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to visit the troubled site of the Yelwata community in Benue State.

Umahi in a statement yesterday by his media aide, Orji Uchenna Orji, said the maintenance was to bring effective and permanent solution to flood disturbances along the road.

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The minister condemned the unfortunate negligence by the concessionaire, China Harbour Operations and Maintenance Company, whose duty under the Highways Development Management Initiative (HDMI) of the Federal Government is to operate and maintain the road.

“We have got information on the unfortunate flooding of a section of Keffi-Makurdi road which is under HDMI, that is, a PPP with China Harbour. We know that the project has been completed and it is tolled, but unfortunately yesterday there were a lot of debris that covered an existing culvert there and that led to flooding but in the midst of that rain we deployed our Ministry of Works personnel in Makurdi State and also the China Harbour personnel and they had to go to the inlet of the culvert and removed all the debris and the flood has been totally evacuated.”

He directed the concessionaire to critically assess the primary cause, provide a permanent solution to flooding along the carriageway, and take all steps necessary to prevent future occurrence.

The minister expressed an apology to the President and Nigerians for the embarrassment, saying it is an unfortunate incident caused to him and Nigerians.

He commended the President for his fatherly intervention in the unfortunate incident in Benue State.