The Minister of Works, Sen. (Engr) David Nweze Umahi, has given end of February as the completion deadline for the Mararaba–Keffi Expressway project.
Umahi who gave the order during inspection tour of the project on Friday expressed dissatisfaction to Contractor, China Harbour Engineering Company who is handling the work.
While instructing the contractor to submit a detailed work timetable and a written commitment to deliver the project by the end of February, Umahi expressed displeasure over the contractor’s failure to comply with earlier directives.
The Minister also directed the company to immediately remove the hand-moulded caps along the road and begin concreting of the median, ensuring the installation of solar-powered streetlights across the entire 43km stretch.
Attributing the contractor’s lapse to negligence by the ministry officials assigned to the project site, he noted that failure by a contractor to comply should attract denial of certificates or prompt escalation to the Permanent Secretary, Head of Department, or the Minister himself.
Umahi ordered the immediate removal of the Controller of Works, accusing the official of issuing fraudulent certificates that resulted in payments for jobs that were either incomplete or not executed at all. 
The Minister directed the Permanent Secretary of the ministry to redeploy the affected officer and assign another Controller to take over the project with immediate effect.
Umahi alleged that the same official had earlier approved certificates for palliative works that were not carried out, leading to undue financial disbursements.
Reading the riot act to the staff on site, Umahi declared 2026 an “action year,” warning that indiscipline, negligence and failure to enforce directives would no longer be tolerated within the ministry.
He urged ministry staff and contractors to discharge their duties responsibly in the interest of Nigerians, adding that sanctions imposed on erring officers would stand, except reversed by God or President Bola Ahmed Tinubu himself.
He said: “I am giving you the end of February to hand over this job. You must come to my office on Wednesday with your timetable and a commitment to complete the project by then.
“We directed that these hand-moulded caps be removed. I have been here more than eight times. Now the problem is my staff, and today I will set an example of what 2026 will be like for all of us in doing this job.
“Today, I am directing the Permanent Secretary to remove the Controller with immediate effect and send him to my office to learn how to obey instructions. Another Controller should be redeployed immediately to take over.
“Nobody will be spared. Discipline is our watchword. Diligence is our watchword. Doing the work we are paid to do is our watchword. When action is taken, no amount of pleading will reverse it”, the Minister concluded.
