The Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi has directed contractors working on all Federal road projects to mount a portrait of President Bola Tinubu on every 10km distance of the road.
Umahi gave the directive on Friday, while inspecting the newly rehabilitated keffi bridge as part of an inspection tour of the ongoing Mararaba-Keffi Road Expansion.
TheFact Daily gathered that the road was a nightmare for commuters due to incessant gridlock as a result of its deplorable nature.
According to the Minister, “I am directing that in all our routes, every 10 kilometers you must put the signboard of the Ministry of Works with the picture of the doer, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, largely mounted at the distance.
“He is the employer of all the contractors. And so where it is not done, no certificate should be issued. If you are bringing certificate, let me see the picture, the project signboard, and it must be front and back”.
Explaining his reason for the new development, Umahi said, “because sometimes, most of the time, people don’t even know who is doing this work because of the volume of the work that the president is doing all over the country.
“So we want Nigerians to know and appreciate. Even walking within states, even within the township routes, federal routes in states, people may think that it’s being done otherwise, but it’s Mr. President that is doing it. So we need to escalate this”.
Responding, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement for the North Central, Barr. Abiodun Essiet
commended the speed with which the bridge was fixed, while assuring that other complaints would be attended to.
“We opened this bridge last year for people to use the road, and we’re happy that within three months of the collapse of the bridge, Mr. President listened to the cry and the reports of our communities and directed that our Honorable Minister, our Godfather of Community Engagement, the powerful Minister of Works, who is passionate about what he’s doing, and also making sure that he’s delivering the mandate of Mr. President on our renewed open infrastructure to Nigerian people, and we are here that this bridge has been completed, and it has been opened for people to use.
“Thank you for all your reports during the festive period on all our roads. We have documented all your concerns, and we have forwarded them accordingly to the Minister, and we are looking into it in the implementation of all the things you have raised”, she said.
Earlier, the Minister directed China Harbour Engineering Company, the contractor handling a 43-kilometre section of the Mararaba–Keffi Expressway, to complete and hand over the project on or before February 28, 2026.
Umahi also directed the company to immediately remove the hand-moulded caps along the road and commence concreting of the median, while ensuring the installation of solar-powered streetlights across the entire 43km stretch.
He however expressed displeasure over the contractor’s failure to comply with earlier directives, attributing the lapse to negligence by officials of the Ministry assigned to the project site.
“I am giving you the end of February to hand over this job. You must come to my office on Wednesday with your timetable and a commitment to complete the project by then.
“We directed that these hand-moulded caps be removed. I have been here more than eight times. Now the problem is my staff, and today I will set an example of what 2026 will be like for all of us in doing this job”, he said.
Consequently, Umahi ordered the immediate removal of a Controller of Works, whom he accused of issuing fraudulent certificates that led to payments for uncompleted jobs.
“Today, I am directing the Permanent Secretary to remove the Controller with immediate effect and send him to my office to learn how to obey instructions. Another Controller should be redeployed immediately to take over,” he said.
