FG prioritizes NNPCL inherited nationwide road projects for funding

Minister of Works, Sen (Engr) David Umahi has stated that compilation have been made on all the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd NNPCL inherited Tax Credit projects for strategic priority funding.

He also noted that the most critical projects within the national economic corridor would receive precedence in the hierarchy of prioritization.

Umahi made this disclosure during his inspection visit to the ongoing dualization of the East-West Road (Section IIIA) from Eleme Junction, Port Harcourt to Onne Junction in Rivers State handled by Messrs RCC Nig Ltd dated 9th September 2025.
The adoption was made to ensure the continued execution of road projects hitherto funded by the NNPCL under the Road Infrastructure Development and Refurbishment Investment Tax Credit Scheme in accordance with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive.

Speaking during his visit, the Minister said, “We are inspecting projects of federal government in Rivers State, and this particular one is the dualization of Eleme Junction to Onne Port Junction by RCC.

“Recall that one carriageway was completed and commissioned, even though there are a few things we ordered afresh like the retaining wall and hanging drainage. For the second carriageway with some bridges and flyovers, work has started on it”.
He added, “Let me say that this is part of the NNPC Tax Credit that was stopped in terms of funding. But graciously, we have compiled all NNPC inherited Tax Credit projects, and we presented as Ministry of Works to Mr. President. And graciously directed that none of such works should stop now.

“However, as Ministry, we are going to do prioritization of the projects and look at the most critical of these projects within the national economic corridor like this one. And we are going to put it forward for immediate funding because the President directed that none of such projects should stop now.”

According to the statement released by his aide, Umahi admonished contractors handling road projects under the Federal Ministry of Works to ensure speed, quality, compliance with specification and sustainability in project delivery.
He cautioned that the attention of the anti-graft agencies would be called to any case of violation of the regulations or terms and conditions set out under the contract of every project handled by the Federal Ministry of Works.

“I have also noticed in some of the projects in Rivers State, and same with Six Geo-Political zones, that contractors go ahead to put stone base and put binder course of asphalt, sometimes over 20 kilometres and leave the binder unprotected without putting wearing course.

“The binder is like a reinforcement to the road architecture. The wearing is the sealant that doesn’t allow water to go beyond the surface.

“And so when you now put stone base, which has dust as designed, and you put binder, which is like a reinforcement, and you see that the composition of the binder asphalt has bigger stones, and it has holes, so the water penetrates.
“The moment it gets to the stone base, which has some dust, the road fails. It may technically look safe, but with time, it will definitely fail. And we’ve seen it in a number of roads we inspected.

“And what I’ve directed the Controller to do, and it’s going to be nationwide, is that when you are putting binder and you have left it for more than two months, we are going to redo the certificate and remove all the binder and remove the stone base.”

The Minister directed that henceforth any project below the contract sum of ₦20 Billion would not be given to expatriate firms, this he said is part of measures to promote the Nigeria First policy of Federal Government of Nigeria.

Furthermore, Umahi commended the construction company handling Eleme – Onne project, Reynolds Construction Company (RCC) for the quality of work so far done and for working on the project despite the fact that NNPCL has stopped funding the project, but frowned at the slow pace of work which they said was affected by the rainy season.
He restated that 15th December 2025 remains the agreed deadline for the project’s completion with no extension or Variation of Price (VoP) allowed. “On this project of Eleme Junction, the quality of the work is excellent.

“The pace of the work is totally not acceptable. And let me make it very, very clear to the contractor that this project can never be reviewed by a kobo. Neither can there be any variation of price or any other claims.”

The Minister expressed dismay over the destructive habit of packing heavy duty vehicles on the road by drivers while warned that forthwith punitive measures would be taken against such perpetrators.

“Our roads are not designed to carry these heavy trailers that are parking on the road. And the press should help us on that. When I was coming yesterday all the way from Aba to here, I saw that the trailers are taking over the entire roads, putting their waste, destroying the pavements, and so on and so forth.

“So I’m going to write to our dear Governors to see what they could help us to do about it, and will also complain to the Inspector General of Police. Let us see what we can do about it.
“Mr. President is doing everything possible to right the wrongs in terms of road construction. We are doing quality roads now that are going to last from 50 to 100 years. But it’s being destroyed by ourselves.”

Earlier, the Federal Controller of Works in River State, Engr. Enwereama Tarilade (Mrs.) said the contractor handling Eleme- Onne road had completed the 15km Eket bound on the right carriageway.

“And had moved to the left carriageway which is Port Harcourt bound for which 1km stretch had already been done on Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavement (CRCP)”.

Projects visited by the Minister includes: rehabilitation of Enugu – Port Harcourt, Abia/Rivers State, contract No: 6252 being handled by China Civil Engineering Construction Company Limited (CCECC), the upgrading of the 15km section of the East-West Road (Section 111A) from Port Harcourt (Eleme Junction) to Onne junction in Rivers State.

Contract No: 701 being handled by Messrs. RCC Nig. Ltd and multiple sections of the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway, including the sections handled by Arab Contractors and China Civil Engineering Construction Company Limited (CCECC).