Umahi tackles contractor as flood washes away newly repaired road

Engineer David Umahi, the Minister of Works has expressed disappointment over the damage caused by flooding to section three of the recently rehabilitated Kano-Maiduguri highway.

In a statement made by his spokesman, Orji Uchenna, Umahi be moaned the poor longevity of completed road projects in Nigeria, noting that many do not last even five years.

Umahi, who stated that a technical team from the ministry had been despatched for on the spot evaluation, promised to find a lasting solution to the road.

He also announced the termination of section 1 of Kano-Maiduguri road awarded since 2007 to Dantata & Sawoe Ltd due to effluxion of time.

“I have instructed the Director of Highway Rehabilitation to collaborate with the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Works to quickly dispatch a technical team to evaluate the situation. It’s unfortunate that after contractors complete their work, we often find ourselves back at square one within just a few years,” Umahi said.

He continued, “This is why I’ve consistently argued against the current one-year liability period. A poorly executed job might survive for a year, but it certainly won’t endure for five years. We will be asking the contractor, Mothercart Ltd, to join the team in investigating why the road has split as reported today.”

During a performance review meeting with Dangote Group, BUA Group, and Mainstream Energy Solutions Ltd—companies involved in road projects under the Road Infrastructure Development and Refurbishment Investment Tax Credit Scheme, Umahi stressed the need to revise the liability period for all federal government projects to ensure their durability and cost-effectiveness.

He also highlighted the progress made in funding critical projects through the Tax Credit Scheme and urged contractors to expedite their work on ongoing projects, particularly those located along key economic corridors.

Moving forward, Senator Umahi said that agreements on milestone completion and timetables would be established for all projects undertaken under the tax credit scheme.