The Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, has warned contractors handling Federal Government road projects to speed up their work or be at risk of contract termination.
Umahi gave the warning while inspecting the Abuja-Lokoja Dual Carriageway and Dualisation of Obajana Junction -Benin Road Projects.
Visibly displeased, the Minister expressed dissatisfaction with the pace of work on some sections of the Abuja-Lokoja Dual Carriageway and the Dualisation of Obajana Junction -Benin Road. He disclosed that, due to funding constraints, the scope of one of the Sections of the Abuja-Lokoja road had to be reduced from 49.28 kilometres to 28 kilometres to concentrate available resources on the most critical portions.
“I am very sad with what I saw on the ground. What was reported to us is not reflected in the actual work being done,” he said.
He further reiterated the Ministry’s directive that no section of the Federal highway should remain closed for more than 14 days during construction. He subsequently issued an ultimatum to the affected contractor to complete the required section within the stipulated period or risk termination of the contract.
The Minister, however, commended Messrs JRB Construction Company for the quality and pace of work on its project, describing the company as a model of professionalism and commitment. According to him, “If everybody does his job accordingly, there will be no reason to shift the blame to Mr. President.”
He also issued a 72-hour ultimatum to GELD Construction Company, handling one of the sections, to effectively utilise funds already released to demonstrate visible progress on the project.
Umahi informed that, a substantial percentage of Nigeria’s Federal road network had deteriorated before the advent of the present administration, stressing that President Tinubu inherited enormous infrastructure challenges but has continued to make significant strides to restore and modernise the nation’s road sector.
He further directed the Federal Controllers of Works (FCW), Engineers’ Representatives (E.R.), and project supervisors to strengthen monitoring mechanisms and enforce greater accountability, insisting that all procurement processes and expenditures must be properly justified.
As part of the inspection tour, the Minister visited the reconstruction of the existing pavement and completion of the additional carriageway on Section III of the Abuja–Lokoja Dual Carriageway, including works being executed by Trucrete Solutions Limited on the Koton Karfe–Abuja alignment.
He also inspected two critical bridge projects along the same corridor, as well as the ongoing dualisation of the Lokoja–Benin Road. The projects inspected include Section I, Obajana Junction–Okene, and Section II covering the Okene–Auchi corridor across Kogi and Edo States.
He assessed progress on the flyover and interchange components of the project being executed by CCG Contractors, with the flyovers at approximately 80 percent completion and the interchange at about 30 percent completion.
On his part, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Works, Senator Allwell Onyesoh, commended Engr. Umahi for his visionary leadership and firm commitment to ensuring value for public funds. He noted that political office holders can no longer continue to bear responsibility for the poor performance of contractors, stressing that Nigerians expect tangible results and timely project delivery.
Senator Onyesoh also appealed to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and the Federal Ministry of Finance to ensure the timely release of funds for ongoing projects. He added that the Committee would reserve its final assessment pending the level of commitment and progress demonstrated by the contractors.
Similarly, the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Works, Hon. Akin Alabi, called on all stakeholders to support the Ministry in delivering a quality road network across the country. He emphasised that road development is a collective responsibility and observed that President Tinubu has entrusted the Ministry with the critical task of ensuring efficient project execution.
Addressing contractors, Hon. Alabi assured them that the Federal Government remains committed to meeting all legitimate payment obligations, while commending JRB Construction Company for its significant investment and commitment to Nigeria’s infrastructure development.
The Managing Director of GELD Construction Company, Mr. Fadi Azimi, assured the delegation that the company would intensify work and ensure improved project delivery, in line with the Ministry’s expectations.
