The expedited re-award of sections of the 86km Abuja-Lokoja federal highway by the Federal Government, weeks after the initial contract was terminated, has been commended by Senator Sunday Karimi, who represents Kogi West district.
During a media conference last November, the Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi announced the government’s decision to determine the contracts for poor performance and failure to meet performance benchmarks.
The contractors disengaged included Sadogi Nigeria Limited; Venus Construction Limited; Gold/Triacta Nigeria Limited, and Transcrete Solutions Limited.
Last Wednesday the Federal Executive Council approved the same project, among five other major road contracts re-awarded by government. According to the Federal Government, all the projects will be wide, concrete carriageways, estimated to cost N1.2 trillion.
Karimi commended the President Bola Tinubu for his courage and promptitude in decision-making on matters pertaining to the wellbeing of the people.
He said: ‘The non-performing Abuja-Lokoja road contracts were cancelled barely four months ago. And the President, in his sensitivity to the plight of the commuting public and the imperative for seamless socioeconomic movement on our roadways, has prioritised the re-award of the all-important artery within such a short time. This is tangible evidence that President Tinubu is a responsive and proactive leader who desires to impact Nigerians expeditiously’.
According to Karimi, that the President assented to having multiple contractors handle various segments of the project is proof of his desire for quick completion of the road which has effectively been under construction since the twilight of the administration of the then President Olusegun Obasanjo about 20 years ago.
Karimi, who chairs the Senate Committee on Services, applauded President Tinubu for his courageous oil sector reforms, which now makes additional resources available for national development.
He spoke against the backdrop of the recent Executive Order on Direct Remittances, which was signed a few weeks ago. The order mandates that “all government revenues from tax oil, profit oil, royalty oil and gas flaring penalties, previously subject to deductions, be paid directly to the Federation Account”.
The reform explicitly stops the NNPC Limited (NNPCL) from deducting a 30% management fee on profit oil and gas, as well as the 30% Frontier Exploration Fund under Production Sharing Contracts.
By stripping the NNPCL of its role as de facto fiscal gatekeeper, the policy aims to end decades of opaque deductions that reduced available revenue for the federation.
President Tinubu’s reform directly addresses “cost of collection” leakages, compelling agencies like the Nigerian Revenue Service, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency to stop deducting or reducing such costs before remittances.
As at July 2025, reforms initiated by the President boosted monthly allocations to the 36 states, the Federal Capital Territory and the 774 Local Government Areas by over N2 trillion.
Karimi expressed the hope that funds, which will further boost the nation’s purse, would enable the President and the Federal Government embark on more enduring projects in the overall interest of the country.
Karimi said: ‘Mr President needs resources for the East-West Road; the Abuja-Lokoja-Benin Road; the Benin-Sapele-Warri Road; the Kabba-Isanlu-Egbe-Ilorin Road; the Kabba-Iyara-Omuo Ekiti Road; the Aiyetoro Gbedde- Aiyegunle Gbedde-Kupa-Eggan Road, among others.
‘Accruals from the most recent Executive Order on Direct Remittances, in my view will strengthen the hands of Mr. President to embark on these projects. Seamless intra-country movement on motorable roads will complement Mr. President’s efforts on security, sending a direct warning to criminals that government will get them wherever they hide’.
