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By Daniel Adaji
The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has issued a 14-day termination notice to China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) Nigeria Limited over what he described as substandard construction methods on the Aba-bound section of the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway.
Umahi, who made the declaration during a project inspection tour of the South-East and South-South regions on Sunday, expressed disappointment at the contractor’s alleged disregard for newly introduced construction codes and regulations meant to guarantee durable road infrastructure across the country.
In a statement on Monday, the Minister said the 43-kilometre Aba–Port Harcourt stretch of the expressway, being handled by CCECC, was “on the verge of total collapse,” despite repeated warnings to the firm.
Consequently, he directed that the Port Harcourt-bound lane be removed from the company’s scope of work and re-awarded to a qualified indigenous contractor.
“If you get to Port Harcourt end, which they did about two years or thereabout, the entire road has almost totally failed. We have been writing them to maintain this road. They have refused, and so I have to take responsibility and take decision,” Umahi stated.
“Number one, the Port Harcourt bound is descoped, no longer going to be done by CCECC. I will direct the Ministry of Works to scout out for very qualified indigenous contractors to handle the Port Harcourt bound. They should be the contractor that will start work immediately while we sort out for funds for them.
”Number two, for the site handled by CCECC, they should issue them 14 days’ notice of termination of the job. And I want this directive to go very wide,” he added.
The Minister warned that if the company fails to “mill out the binder and replace it properly” within the given period, the contract would be terminated. He maintained that the firm must bear the cost of corrections and ensure the road is rehabilitated according to approved specifications.
“Even if they are going to do it during the dry season, they have to maintain the ones that they have done and they put in writing that they’re going to mill out the binder at their own cost,” Umahi insisted, stressing that “putting binder for a stretch of the project without putting wearing is unacceptable.”
The Aba–Port Harcourt section of the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway, awarded under Contract No. 6252, is one of several inherited road projects currently undergoing rehabilitation under the Renewed Hope agenda of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The Federal Ministry of Works has recently intensified oversight and introduced new construction standards to address the recurring issue of failed road projects and poor workmanship.
CCECC, a long-standing contractor on federal road projects, has faced growing scrutiny over the durability of its work.
The Minister however commended Arab Contractors Nigeria Limited for what he described as excellent progress on the 56-kilometre Section II of the same expressway, stretching from Umuahia Tower to Aba Rail/Road Crossing in Abia State. The project, awarded under Contract No. 6209, has reportedly reached 85 per cent completion.
“They are one of our best, the first five. Even we want them to maintain from Aba to Umuahia, the completed section. So they’re working very hard,” Umahi said, adding that the Federal Controller of Works in Abia State should visit all ongoing federal projects weekly to ensure quality compliance.
Umahi also acknowledged the deteriorated state of federal roads inherited by the current administration but commended President Tinubu for prioritizing road infrastructure as a key driver of economic growth.
”In Nigeria, all the roads became a priority because of the terrible situation of the roads that the President inherited. But he’s doing his best. And we are also working with him to offer our best in the country,” he said.
“We feel so bad when our people can’t move from one point to the other all over the country. I feel so sad. That is usually my lowest moment. But, I’m still encouraged with the support the president is giving on roads and bridges because that is the basis of economic activities. I think that we are very lucky to have him because the economy is breaking now. We are the third largest growing economy in the whole world, so we will get there,”he said.