The contractor repairing the Abia stretch of the Enugu-Port Harcourt Highway was threatened with termination by Works Minister David Umahi on Sunday.
Olusola Abiola, the director of information for the works ministry, stated in a statement on Sunday that Umahi threatened to terminate the contract with Messrs China Civil Engineering Construction if they did not perform up to expectations in a matter of 14 days.
Abiola said, “The minister of works has just directed a 14-day termination notice to Messrs China Civil Engineering Construction handling the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway after using all due process on construction. After 14 days, if they fail to do what we have asked them to do, then we will have to do the termination notice.”
He clarified that the government would no longer tolerate contractors completing subpar work and threatened to impose penalties on underwhelming firms.
“We will no longer tolerate the situation where contractors will put blank ranks on site, and they will be escalating construction costs by delaying the completion of the project date.
“We have reached an agreement in the Ministry of Works that in the coming weeks, all non-performing contracts using due process will be terminated and re-awarded,” he revealed.
“It is very important to appreciate all the efforts of Mr. President who has been providing funds for our road infrastructure projects; which is very, very good,” Umahi said in the statement, underscoring the ministry’s resolve to provide Nigerians with clean, good roadways.
The minister has now issued three directives since taking office. This is the most recent one. Due to complaints about the contractor’s poor work, he issued an emergency order in September of last year to halt building at the Kaiama stretch of the East-West Road in Bayelsa State.