Construction workers slam Umahi over policy u-turns, project terminations

The Federation of Construction Industry has raised concerns about the inconsistent policies of the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, urging him to refrain from politicising the profession.

The FOCI President, Chief Vincent Barrah, made the call on Thursday at the 68th Annual General Meeting of the construction workers’ union in Abuja.

Barrah argued that the imposition of contract prices and the arbitrary termination of projects by the ministry due to lack of funding is a breach of standard contract conditions.

He also sounded the alarm that Umahi’s policy U-turns since assuming office have forced many employers to lay off their workers.

“Our challenges stem from the recent policy pronouncements by the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, which are not in line with standard contract conditions. For instance, the imposition of contract prices and non-contractual termination of contracts by the ministry due to its inability to fund projects is unacceptable.

“The result is the worsening condition of roads we see across the country and, of course, the laying off of workers. You cannot continue to retain and pay workers when the certified works you have completed are not paid for.

“If an employer is to terminate a contract due to inadequate funding, there are procedures and rules guiding such action. These are some of the challenges affecting our relationship with the minister. We have written to him and had meetings with him twice. To date, our efforts to resolve these issues have not yielded the desired results,” he stated.

The National President of the Construction and Civil Engineering Senior Staff Association, Ayodeji Adeyemo, also voiced his frustration.

Adeyemo said many engineers are growing concerned and want to know why the minister has suddenly become inaccessible to stakeholders in the construction industry.

“We have made several attempts to meet with the minister and have written numerous letters. He has not responded to any of them. A month has passed, and Umahi remains inaccessible. We need him to address the issue of employers dismissing our members.

“I am even surprised that, as a qualified engineer, Umahi is unable to separate politics from the profession. Why can’t he simply adhere to the contract agreements? For example, if I give you a contract to build a house, there are terms and conditions governing that. If you halt my work, there is a penalty for it. But Umahi stops everything and then shouts in the media like the victim.

“Nigerians are fed up with politicians’ behaviour. If you talk about ‘Renewed Hope,’ does that mean sacking workers instead of creating employment? These people are becoming untouchable. We elected them, assuming our votes truly count. We travel to other countries, like Ghana, and have free access to their ministers, even in Europe. Why is this country different?”

The President of the National Union of Civil Engineering Construction Furniture and Wood Workers, Stephen Okoro, shared similar sentiments.

Okoro expressed regret that, after contractors and engineers have heavily invested in major road projects, a minister like Umahi could be asking them to revert to using concrete.

“We are still angry at the minister’s insistence on reverting to concrete roads. He has also developed a habit of changing policies, which has led to many employers easily sacking our members. We don’t have other means to protect them. If there is no work, where can we place them?

“Another pressing issue that requires urgent attention is the casualisation of workers in our industry. You cannot expect workers on the job not to have insurance. As a union, we have been advocating for the regularisation of all workers in the industry so they can work under proper conditions,” he stated.