The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has ordered the suspension of the reconstruction work on the Eleme section of the East-West Road in Rivers State.

Umahi ordered the suspension while speaking to journalists in Port Harcourt on Sunday following the inspection of the road the previous day, explaining that it was because of the use of substandard materials by the contractors handling the project.

He said, “I saw the sand and the sand they were using on top of the lumps were not river sharp sand, and the idea was that when you place the lumps and you place the river sharp sand there were some voids between the lumps and so the sand will go and fill it and it becomes a compact monolithic pavement structure.

“When I saw the sand, I took it up and put it on my palms, and when I put water there was nothing left. So, I directed that the company should ensure that they remove the sand. I was very shocked that instead of removing the sand, they continued with the sand.”

He said “The contractor was paid N33bn, and do you know how much interest rate that is accrual on the bill every month. He does not have sharp sand, what the contractor used was mud sand.”

The minister, therefore, warned that the federal government would not tolerate any sharp practices in all its road projects.