Umahi Directs Controllers Of Works To Terminate Road Contracts That Flout Agreements

• Declares his primary focus remains delivering quality infrastructure for Nigerians.

 

The Honourable Minister of Works, Engr. Sen. David Nweze Umahi, CON, FNSE, FNATE, has directed the Controllers of Works across the country to terminate road contracts that fail to comply with contractual agreements.

Umahi issued the directive on Saturday while addressing journalists at the Amansea section of the Onitsha-Awka-Enugu Expressway, after inspecting the ongoing construction work on the 107-kilometre road.

He emphasized that road construction in the country was shifting from asphalt to concrete, adding, “We want to move totally from asphalt in road construction to concrete.”

The minister warned that the federal government would no longer condone shoddy jobs executed by contractors, insisting that it is no longer “business as usual” in road construction in the country.

Umahi directed Controllers of Works and engineers to stop contractors if they go contrary to specifications and agreements.

He announced that all roads being constructed under the administration of President Bola Tinubu were designed to last for over 100 years.

“Nobody guarantees asphalt in this country for up to 15 years, but we do concrete under President Bola Tinubu, and we guarantee it to last up to 100 years,” he said.

He further stated that road projects across the country are being executed with durable concrete pavements for long-lasting use and are aimed at fostering regional economic growth.

Explaining the decision, Umahi said the cost of constructing asphalt layers, primer, binder, and wearing course is approximately ₦94,000 per square meter, while concrete pavement costs about ₦92,000 per square meter and offers significantly longer durability.

“Why should we continue with asphalt when concrete is more durable and costs less? We must ensure value for money for Nigerian taxpayers,” he stated.

Umahi expressed satisfaction with the pace and quality of work being executed by Reynolds Construction Company, (RCC), MTN Nigeria and its subcontractors, describing the highway as one of the most significant projects and a legacy project of the Tinubu administration in the South-East.

The 107-kilometre expressway, which links Enugu and Anambra states, is being reconstructed under the Federal Government’s tax-credit scheme, with MTN Nigeria initially awarded the entire project at a cost of N202 billion.

The minister said, “We came into the Enugu-Awka-Onitsha road, a very problematic road, but it has been fixed by the ingenuity of President Bola Tinubu and his plan for the South-East.

“This project is part of a broader push to address long-standing infrastructure deficits in the South-East region. Past governments never worked on that road, but it is only by the audacity of President Bola Tinubu that this abnormal situation is coming to a halt.

“First, I am very impressed with the work being carried out by RCC, which is using concrete to construct about 23km of the road. The first 20km have been completed; we just have 13km left, all on concrete that would last up to the next 100 years. Then we have the MTN project, which is a total of 107 kilometres.

“These projects are being built with durable concrete pavement and are aimed at fostering regional economic growth. The completed highways will feature reinforced concrete, solar-powered streetlights, CCTV surveillance, speed monitoring systems, and security patrol vans.”

Speaking on federal government projects executed in the South-East region, Umahi affirmed that President Tinubu has done quite a lot for the region.

Umahi declared that he is not afraid of attacks or insults on social media, stating that his primary focus remains delivering quality infrastructure for Nigerians.

He urged the people of the region to stand with President Bola Tinubu and support his re-election in the 2027 general election.