The National University Commission's programme stipulates that You can become a professor by the reason of your practice so that makes me right- Engr Dave Umahi
The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has defended his claim on national TV to be a professor in the engineering field, the minister cited the National Universities Commission’s clarification on who qualifies as a professor, noting that practical experience in the field also counts as expertise.
“I’m happy that the NUC programme on who is a professor also made me right. You can become a professor by the reason of your practice. And I think God has made me one when it comes to practical, field engineering programmes, that’s what it is; you can’t take it back"
Speaking during an inspection tour of the Keffi Bridge and the Nasarawa–Toto Road projects, alongside the state governor, Abdullahi Sule, on Saturday, the Minister also fired back at Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, over his recent comments questioning the cost per kilometre of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, insisting that the governor misunderstood the technical details of road construction and cost evaluation.
Umahi said the cost of the highway had been carefully computed in line with global engineering standards and should not be reduced to “political soundbites.”
Governor Makinde had queried the minister’s estimated figures on the cost per kilometre of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, which is one of the signature infrastructure projects of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Makinde, who spoke at an event in a viral video on Friday, said there was no need for the Minister of Works, David Umahi, to be “dancing around the cost” of the project.
Responding to the inspection tour, the former Ebonyi governor described Makinde as “a brother and friend” but said it was improper for him to publicly accuse him of “dancing around” figures.
“I heard that my brother and friend, Governor Makinde, said something about the cost per kilometre. I don’t want to join issues with him.I think he is an engineer, while I am an electrical engineer, they call us ‘elect-elect’. But this road construction matter, ‘elect-elect no reach there’.”
“I am his senior both in governance and in engineering practice. So, anything he doesn’t understand, he should call me and ask. I have great respect for him as my friend and brother, but he should withdraw the statement that I’m dancing around. I never danced around. If he insists, he should come for a debate, which is very important.”
Defending the project further, Umahi explained that there was no ambiguity in determining the cost per kilometre, stressing that it must be understood in both estimated and average terms.
“There is no ambiguity in cost per kilometre,I am teaching them that cost per kilometre can be divided into estimated cost, which has elements of variance, and average cost, which is definitive. The average cost of a definitive project and the estimated cost are probable elements.”
He explained that the estimated cost includes allowances for contingencies and variation of price, which may not eventually be utilised.
“When the project is completed, and you remove what you didn’t use, such as contingencies and VOP, then you have your actual cost,”
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