Umahi gives Abuja-Lokoja highway contractors 72 hours to mobilise

Nigeria's Minister of Works, David Umahi, has issued a stern 72-hour ultimatum to contractors responsible for sections of the Abuja-Lokoja highway rehabilitation project. Umahi warned that failure to fully mobilize to the project site within this timeframe will result in severe sanctions, potentially including prosecution by anti-graft and law enforcement agencies.

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If you are holding the money of the Federal Government, you have to bring it out and do the job, or we start going to the police and the EFCC.

The ultimatum was delivered during a joint inspection of the highway, where Umahi emphasized that contractors who have received government funds but have not executed projects according to agreed timelines will no longer be tolerated. "If you are holding the money of the Federal Government, you have to bring it out and do the job, or we start going to the police and the EFCC," Umahi stated, urging contractors to deploy equipment, personnel, and resources immediately.

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I’m giving you 72 hours to effectively deploy on this road and utilise the money. The President has graciously approved the funds, and everyone involved must fulfil their obligations.

President Bola Tinubu has reportedly approved the necessary funds for the project, and Umahi stressed that all parties involved must fulfill their obligations. The minister specifically voiced his dissatisfaction with GELD Construction Limited's pace of work. Despite years on the project, the contractor has only completed 8.2 kilometers of concrete pavement on a 28-kilometer stretch, a progress Umahi deemed not commensurate with the time spent.

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GELD is not doing well at all on this project. The contractor has been on this job for years, and the progress recorded is not commensurate with the time spent on site.

Umahi lamented the significant hardship faced by commuters due to the prolonged construction activities. He warned contractors against unnecessarily obstructing traffic flow and reiterated that motorists should not continue to suffer the consequences of project delays. The minister also cautioned ministry officials against poor supervision, indicating that engineers and project managers failing to monitor contractors effectively could be removed from their positions.

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We can no longer keep quiet and allow contractors to do whatever they want to do. Contractors who have received government funds must utilise them for the intended purpose and ensure that critical sections of the road are attended to immediately.