Umahi Cracks Down on Idle Contractors, Threatens Sack of Non-Performing Firms, Officials

..... As Umahi commends JRB Construction Company, the indigenous contractor handling the Mararaba-Keffi road project, describing it as one of the Federal Government's most reliable contractors.

Nigeria's Minister of Works, David Umahi, has issued a stern warning to underperforming contractors and ministry officials, declaring that the Federal Government will begin removing non-performing contractors from road projects across the country as part of efforts to accelerate infrastructure delivery.

Speaking during an inspection of the ongoing reconstruction and expansion of the 43.65-kilometre Mararaba-Keffi and Zuba-Kaduna road corridors on Saturday, Umahi said contractors who are unwilling to invest in projects while awaiting government payments have no place in the administration's infrastructure agenda.

The minister disclosed that some contractors currently handling federal projects were awarded as many as 25 contracts before the present administration took office, but have continued to show little commitment to timely project execution.

"From next week, we are going to weed out contractors who are not committed. Some of them have up to 25 jobs awarded before we came on board. If you are not ready to invest while awaiting Federal Government payments, then you are not part of the progress of this country," Umahi said.

He stressed that contractors who rely solely on mobilisation and advance payments before commencing work would no longer be tolerated.

"We will remove those contractors who only wait for advance payments before working. Some have been benefiting for over 30 years," he added.

The minister also extended the warning to officials of the Ministry of Works, threatening sanctions against directors and project controllers who fail to implement directives issued during project inspections.

According to him, accountability must be enforced at all levels to ensure that project delays and inefficiencies do not undermine the administration's development objectives.

"I am directing the directors and the contractors that whenever I issue directives and return to find them not implemented, I will remove the directors and controllers from the project.

"When we fail, people wrongly blame the President. We must look inward and correct ourselves. Nation-building is everyone's responsibility," he stated.

Umahi used the occasion to issue fresh technical directives on road construction standards, cautioning contractors against the indiscriminate removal of existing asphalt layers, which he described as wasteful and uneconomical.

He directed that only four centimetres of asphalt should be milled and combined with a 10-centimetre stone base stabilised with cement to preserve resources and maintain structural quality.

The minister further ordered the immediate construction of median barriers, drainage systems, shoulder works and solar-powered street lighting on completed sections of the highways to improve safety and durability.

He emphasised the need for proper drainage infrastructure to prevent water damage to road surfaces and directed contractors to urgently repair potholes and weakened sections using approved engineering specifications.

On highway security, Umahi revealed that the Federal Government would soon commence a pilot security scheme featuring ICT-driven surveillance systems, including closed-circuit television cameras connected through telecommunications networks such as MTN and Airtel for real-time monitoring of major road corridors.

The initiative, he said, is expected to be completed within four months and is aimed at enhancing safety and security for road users.

The minister also pledged to engage the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited to facilitate the release of funds already approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the completion of the road projects and settlement of outstanding contractor obligations.

Despite his criticism of non-performing firms, Umahi commended JRB Construction Company, the indigenous contractor handling the Mararaba-Keffi road project, describing it as one of the Federal Government's most reliable contractors.

He praised the company for its quality of work, equipment capacity and commitment to delivering critical infrastructure projects, saying its performance demonstrated the capability of indigenous firms to execute major national assignments efficiently.

The latest warning signals a tougher stance by the Federal Government on project delivery, as the administration seeks to fast-track road infrastructure development and ensure value for public funds invested in the sector.