Minister of Works removes Controller of. Works supervising Abuja-Keffi highway project

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By Gabriel Agbonika, Abuja

The Minister of Works, Mr. David Umahi, at the weekend removed the Controller of Works, Yakubu Usman, who was supervising the Mararaba–Keffi Expressway reconstruction project, for allegedly generating certificates that led to the payment of contractors without commensurate work.
The government also issued a February 28, 2026, deadline to the contractor handling the construction works to complete and handover the project.

Umahi, announced the decision during an unscheduled last weekend inspection of the ongoing expansion of the 43-kilometre Mararaba–Keffi corridor.

Umahi accused the affected official of issuing questionable certificates that resulted in payment for jobs that were either incomplete or not executed, including earlier palliative works.

He has also directed the Permanent Secretary of the ministry to immediately appoint and redeploy a new Controller of Works to take over supervision of the project.
The minister said that supervising officers authority to withhold certificates and escalate cases of non-compliance by contractors, adding that the sanctions on the removed Controller of Works would remain in force unless overturned by President Bola Tinubu.

He also ordered the Project Contractor, China Harbour Engineering Company, to submit a detailed work programme and a written commitment indicating readiness to meet the February 28, 2026 deadline.
Mr. Umahi equally expressed dissatisfaction with the slow pace of work on the project, attributing the delays to both the contractor and supervisory lapses within the Ministry of Works.
During the inspection, Umahi directed the immediate removal of hand-moulded caps along the road, ordered the commencement of median concreting, and instructed that solar-powered streetlights be installed along the entire stretch.
According to the Minister,“I am giving you the end of February to hand over this job. You must come to my office with your timetable and a commitment to complete the project by then”.
He noted that repeated inspection visits had not produced significant improvement and warned that indiscipline, negligence and failure to enforce directives would no longer be tolerated.
The minister, who specifically inspected key sections of the corridor, including the Keffi flyover, stressed that both contractors and ministry officials must carry out their responsibilities diligently in the interest of Nigerians.