Nigeria’s Minister of Works, Mr. David Umahi, has given a deadline of end of February to the contractor handling the expansion of the Mararaba–Keffi road to complete the job.
The Minister while giving the deadline during an inspection of the 43-kilometre Mararaba–Keffi corridor in Nigeria’s North-central region, warned that failure to meet the deadline and comply with directives will attract sanctions.
Mr. Umahi expressed dissatisfaction with the continued use of hand-moulded caps on the road, noting that he had issued repeated instructions for their removal during several previous visits to the site.
The minister directed the contractor to immediately remove the disputed caps, commence concreting of the median with 10-centimetre reinforcement, and install solar streetlights along the entire stretch.
“We directed you to remove the caps which were hand-moulded. I have been here more than eight times and I directed you to do that.
“You need to fill it, compact it and concrete it. You also need to put solar lights throughout the 43 kilometres,” Umahi said.
The Works Minister further faulted a Ministry Controller on the site for disobeying directives and issuing certificates for work not done.
He ordered the Controller’s immediate removal from the site.
“The staff of the Minister of Works on site have all the powers. If a directive is given and the contractor disobeys it, the duty of the staff is to refuse certification and escalate the matter.
“For failing to do that, I’m directing the permanent secretary to remove the controller effective from today,” Umahi said.
The Minister also alleged that the same controller had previously issued “fraudulent certificates for work not done” on palliative works along the route, leading to payments that did not reflect the actual state of the project.
“I had to come to site and force the contractor to do the jobs he was already paid for,” he said, adding that the action taken would serve as a warning going into 2026.
While warning against disobedience, the minister said the contractor would be paid once the directives were implemented.
Mr. Umahi also announced that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had approved the continuation and completion of all ongoing projects under the Ministry of Works.
“The quality of the road we are seeing here is what Nigerians desire, and that is what Nigerians are getting from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” he said.
The minister pledged to intensify field supervision, adding that he would spend most of his working days on project sites to ensure that government policies translate into tangible results for Nigerians.