The Ogun State Government has reiterated its resolve not to compromise construction standards in road projects across the state, warning contractors to strictly adhere to approved specifications or risk losing their contracts.

The warning followed a stop-work order issued by the Ogun State Ministry of Works and Infrastructure on Monday, December 15, to Slavabogu Nigeria Limited, the contractor handling the reconstruction of the 3.39-kilometre Paddy–Arikawe Road in the G.R.A area of Sagamu.

This is not the first time work on the road has been halted. A previous stop-work order was issued during Phase One of the project, a 260-metre constituency intervention by the senator representing Ogun East, Gbenga Daniel, after the contractor failed to comply with project specifications.

According to the state government, information obtained revealed that the remaining phases of the road (Phases 2, 3 and 4), initially proposed under the federal project, could have taken between six and seven years to be executed. To ease the hardship faced by residents, the Dapo Abiodun administration intervened by awarding the remaining portion of the road.

In a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Strategy, Hon. Kayode Akinmade, the government explained that the latest stop-work order followed a report from the resident engineer indicating that the contractor had begun drainage construction using singly reinforced steel instead of the doubly reinforced steel specified in the contract.

The contractor was immediately directed to stop work, demolish all concrete bases, remove the reinforcement steel already installed, and reconstruct the drainage using doubly reinforced steel with Grade 30 concrete, as stipulated.

Akinmade said the action was taken in the interest of safety and quality assurance.

“The Dapo Abiodun administration is fully committed to delivering quality roads that will stand the test of time,” he stated.

He added that the ministry observed “significant concerns regarding non-compliance with reinforcement detailing for the drainage works, which clearly violated the specifications contained in the contract documents.”

The government further warned all contractors handling state projects to adhere strictly to specifications, stressing that there would be no tolerance for substandard work that could endanger lives.

“There is no room for shoddy work that would compromise the safety of Ogun citizens,” the statement concluded.