The Federal Government has directed federal road contractors to halt the closure of project sites without authorisation, insisting that strategic highways and bridges must remain operational during the holiday season and afterwards.
Minister of Works, David Umahi, who gave the order, also directed directors in the Federal Ministry of Works and Federal Controllers of Works across the country to suspend their holiday plans and remain on site to ensure that ongoing road projects do not obstruct the free flow of traffic during the festive period.
Umahi issued the directive at an emergency meeting with directors and contractors of the Federal Ministry of Works on Tuesday in Abuja, where he accused some contractors of abandoning sites under the guise of holidays despite worsening road conditions across the country.
According to him, road projects such as the Abuja–Lokoja Expressway, the Abuja drainage canals, and key corridors in Sokoto, Katsina, and Kebbi states must not be closed under any circumstances due to their strategic importance.
“No contractor is permitted to close a site without the approval of the Federal Ministry of Works.
Some sites must not close at all. Abuja–Lokoja cannot close. Some corridors are simply too critical. We would like some of our contractors who may be taking holidays to understand what is going on at their sites. Don’t close the roads. Open them for vehicular movements,” Umahi said.
The minister also stated that the Federal Government has commenced moves to verify and settle about N2.13tn owed to road contractors, with payments expected to begin from January 2026,
Umahi directed the directors and contractors of the Federal Ministry of Works to submit their generated certificates and claims for verification, insisting that only confirmed obligations would be paid.
The minister said President Bola Tinubu was visibly shocked when briefed on the size of the outstanding liabilities, describing the debt as largely inherited and worsened by weak supervision and poor contract management over the years.
He explained that a committee chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima had already been constituted to handle the verification and payment process, urging contractors to exercise patience while the work progresses.
The minister also admitted that recent disruptions on the Abuja–Lokoja highway embarrassed the government but appealed for patience, noting that emergency interventions were ongoing to restore traffic flow.
Describing the traffic gridlock on the Abuja–Lokoja Road as “very embarrassing,” the minister ordered that the road be further opened up to ease vehicular movement, particularly ahead of the Christmas season. He also expressed concern over persistent congestion on the Enugu–Onitsha Road.
He stressed the need for urgent and coordinated action by contractors and supervising officials to eliminate bottlenecks and ensure smooth traffic flow on all major federal highways nationwide.
Umahi also commended contractors for embracing President Bola Tinubu’s policy shift from asphalt to concrete road technology, describing it as a difficult but necessary transition to improve durability and reduce recurrent failures.
“I commend you for agreeing to adapt to the new policy of Mr President on concrete road technology. Many of you even requested that your projects be changed from asphalt to concrete. That is not easy, but it is necessary,” he said.
He argued that asphalt roads often deteriorate within 10 to 15 years due to drainage failures and poor soil conditions, while concrete roads offer longer life spans if properly constructed.
Beyond construction methods, the minister announced a sweeping reorganisation of the Ministry of Works, revealing that directors and senior engineers would be redeployed to the field to supervise projects directly.
“Everybody is going to the field. Only the Permanent Secretary and I will remain in the office. Every director will supervise a major project, and performance will be judged strictly by output,” Umahi declared.
