Anambra Tightens Road Construction Standards, Bans Asphalt Laying During Rainy Season

The Anambra State Government has introduced stricter guidelines for contractors handling road projects across the state as part of efforts to improve construction quality and prevent premature road failures.

The Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Arc. Okey Ezeobi, announced the new directives during a meeting with road contractors in Awka on July 24.

Under the new guidelines, all construction materials must be tested and approved by the Anambra State Materials Testing Laboratory before being used on any road project.

The Commissioner also directed contractors to ensure proper compaction before laying stone base materials and obtain approval from the Ministry before proceeding to that stage of construction.

He further ordered that asphalt must not be laid on road projects during the current rainy season, while contractors handling dualisation projects must complete compaction before commencing work on road medians.

Ezeobi disclosed that officials of the Ministry would continue to conduct unannounced visits to construction sites to collect samples for laboratory testing.

He said the government was determined to ensure that only quality materials were used in the construction of roads across the state.

The Commissioner also warned contractors against using poor quality stone base materials, particularly those containing excessive dust, noting that such materials could weaken roads and reduce their lifespan.

He stressed that contractors must achieve the exact pavement thickness specified in project designs after compaction, insisting that the government would not accept projects that failed to meet approved standards for quality, thickness and compaction.

Ezeobi directed all contractors to sign and comply with the new guidelines, which he said would serve as the standard for all future road construction projects in Anambra.

Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Dr. Martin Agbili, urged contractors to strictly adhere to the directives.

He said the era of ignoring construction standards was over, warning that contractors who failed to do the right thing would be held accountable.