The Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, has ordered the arrest of the Managing Director of Hartland Construction Company over what he described as poor performance on a section of the Benin-Onitsha Expressway despite payments made to the contractor.
Umahi issued the directive during an inspection of the Summit Junction-to-Head Bridge section of the expressway, where he expressed concern over the severe traffic congestion and hardship faced by motorists as a result of the deteriorating road.
In a video of the inspection shared on X by user Imranmuhdz on Friday, the minister said the Federal Government had paid Hartland to complete 11 kilometres of the road, including channelisation and hydraulic structures.
He said the contractor had, however, completed only about 40 per cent of the agreed work.
“Hartland, we paid them, and when I paid them that money, we reached an agreement: you are going to finish 11 kilometres from the Summit Junction to this bridge with the money I’m paying you… But today they have just done about 40 per cent of the agreement,” Umahi said.
The minister said he had previously recalled the company’s managing director and directed him to return to the site, but accused the contractor of failing to meet its obligations.
“So I recalled the MD to discuss with him for them to come back to the site. I am going to look for him to arrest him; I’m going to arrest him. So, the controller, you look for the MD of Hartland and arrest him,” he said.
Umahi also directed ministry officials to initiate measures to recover funds paid to the contractor and review all payment certificates issued to the company.
He ordered the ministry’s directors to contact the relevant banks regarding the recovery of the funds and instructed that Hartland’s certificates across its various projects be scrutinised.
“Look at the kind of mess we are having; even to do small filling on the road… look at the kind of traffic jam in this location because of the wickedness of our contractors, and they have to bring down all their payments and all the certificates,” he said.
“You have to do this instruction and then send it to me. This is very important, every one of their certificates in all the jobs… we are going to sanction Hartland; this is not acceptable.”
The minister further directed site engineers to immediately deploy stone base material to failed sections of the road in an effort to improve traffic flow.
Umahi warns contractors, controllers
Umahi also issued a warning to Federal Controllers of Works across the country, saying ongoing projects must not be allowed to deteriorate to the point where motorists are trapped in severe traffic congestion.
He stressed that routine maintenance should continue even where contractors were awaiting payments.
“Let me give a sound warning to all our controllers: if a project is going on, whether there is payment or not, you cannot allow the situation of the road to be like this,” he said.
According to the minister, relatively small interventions could significantly reduce the hardship faced by road users.
“There are places that even ₦20,000, ₦50,000, or ₦100,000 can fix and lessen the suffering of the people,” he added.
Umahi also ordered the immediate arrest of people involved in illegal dredging along road corridors, saying such activities could contribute to damage to roads and surrounding communities.
He similarly directed that contractors should be held accountable where inadequate drainage on their project sites contributed to erosion and damage to nearby homes.
“When you see a contractor that is on a road and a section is not passable, you do an arrest. When you arrest, you let me know. Enough is enough,” he said.
The minister directed contractors to construct adequate drainage on both sides of affected roads to control erosion and protect adjoining properties.
The latest enforcement measures come amid growing public concern over congestion and deteriorating conditions along major transport corridors, particularly the Benin-Onitsha route.
Umahi said the ministry would continue to hold contractors and officials responsible for ensuring that road projects provide safe and usable routes for motorists.
