Umahi Orders Contractor’s Arrest Over Delayed Benin-Onitsha Road Project

The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has directed the arrest of the managing director of a construction company over the alleged failure to complete a section of the Benin-Onitsha Expressway despite receiving substantial government funding for the project.

During an inspection of ongoing works on the highway, the minister expressed dissatisfaction with the pace of construction and the condition of the road, stating that only a fraction of the agreed work had been completed on the affected section.

Umahi said the contractor had been entrusted with funds to deliver key components of the project, including road construction, drainage systems and other supporting infrastructure, but had failed to meet expectations.

He subsequently ordered ministry officials to obtain details of all payments and project certificates linked to the company while initiating measures aimed at recovering public funds if contractual obligations were not fulfilled.

The minister also instructed relevant authorities to intensify oversight of road projects nationwide, warning contractors against abandoning maintenance responsibilities on construction sites. He stressed that poor road conditions caused by negligence would no longer be tolerated.

In addition, Umahi ordered action against individuals engaged in unauthorised dredging activities along federal road corridors, describing such operations as a threat to infrastructure and public safety.

He further directed contractors working on nearby sections of the expressway to implement erosion-control measures and drainage systems to protect surrounding communities from environmental damage caused by construction activities.

The minister reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to ensuring value for money on infrastructure projects and reducing the hardship faced by commuters on major highways across the country.