Minister of Works, David Umahi
The Federal Government has raised serious concerns over the substandard construction work being carried out by China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) on the Aba-bound stretch of the Enugu–Port Harcourt Expressway.
Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, in a statement released Monday by his media aide, Orji Uchenna Orji, said the company had failed to align with the newly adopted engineering standards set by the ministry.
During a routine inspection of federal road projects across the South-East and South-South on Sunday, the minister expressed deep disappointment at the condition of the 43-kilometre section from Aba to Port Harcourt. He noted that the road, despite being under rehabilitation, was already showing signs of failure.
“The section completed about two years ago is already in a near-total state of disrepair,” Umahi observed. “We’ve written them repeatedly to carry out maintenance, but there’s been no response. I can’t stand by while this continues. It’s time to act.”
He revealed that the ministry will serve CCECC a 14-day termination notice for underperformance, adding that the Port Harcourt-bound portion of the contract would be withdrawn and reassigned to a capable indigenous contractor.
“CCECC will be given a 14-day notice of termination. If they fail to mill out the defective binder course and replace it as required, the contract will be terminated. They must also commit, in writing, to repairing it at their own expense,” Umahi warned.
The minister also criticized the practice of laying only the binder course without the final wearing course, saying it severely shortens the life of roads and contradicts standard engineering practice.
However, in contrast to his critique of CCECC, Umahi praised Arab Contractors for their commendable work on Section II of the same expressway (Umuahia Tower to Aba Rail/Road Crossing), which spans 56km. According to him, the project is already 85% complete.
“They are among our top five contractors,” he noted. “We’re even considering handing over the maintenance of the completed Aba–Umuahia section to them because of the quality of their work.”
He also applauded the Federal Controller of Works in Abia State for effective project oversight and directed that all federal roads in the state be inspected weekly to ensure continued progress.
Speaking more broadly, Umahi said many ongoing road projects were inherited in a dilapidated state but are now being fast-tracked under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda.
“All these roads became urgent priorities due to the terrible state they were left in,” he said. “President Tinubu is doing everything he can, and we’re backing that effort 100%. Roads and bridges are critical to the economy, and we’re committed to getting them right.”
He concluded by expressing gratitude to President Tinubu for his continued commitment to improving Nigeria’s road infrastructure.
