Group demands resignation of Works Minister Umahi after contractor pocketed N150 billion Kaduna- Abuja failed road project

Eleven months after the Federal Government of Nigeria paid the sum of N150 billion to the contractor handling Kaduna-Abuja express road, Infioquest International Limited, concerns has been raised over near abandonment of the project by a group operating under the aegis of Arewa Youth Assembly.

The group in a statement sent to CAPITAL POST on Tuesday, explained that the sum of N150 billion was paid to the fleeing contractor through the Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi representing 30% out of the contract sum of N500 billion, but regretted that such aberration could be committed in the Bola Tinubu administration.

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Expressing their frustration, the group demanded for the immediate resignation of the Minister of Works, Engr David Umahi for failing to check a very strategic project under the ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’, and the termination of the contract.

The statement which was signed by the Speaker of the group, Mohammed Salihu Danlami, the road is of national importance as it links 12 Northern States to the Federal Capital Territory and Southern part.

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Part of the statement read: “As the road continue to deteriorate, with ongoing contract moving at snail pace 11 months and sometimes contractor not seen on site, it is important that the contract should be terminated.”

The Arewa group reminded the Minister that the ill-fated road contract was awarded to Infioquest after it was revoked from Julius Berger.

“Seven months during the inauguration of the contract, you told Nigerians and the road users that the contract was awarded at the sum of 500 billion, and that 30% of this fund has been approved and paid to the contractor, meaning, the contractor has pocketed at least 150 billion.

“You emphatically stated that the contractor expected to complete the project 14 months, with 11 months gone, you informed Nigerians that 38KM reinforced concrete Road is ready for commissioning.

“Professor Sir, there is a conspicuous absence of verifiable evidence to substantiate these assertions. As regular users of the road, we doubt this claims. Such a critical claim demands transparency, accuracy, and demonstrable proof.

“We therefore request, without ambiguity, a detailed and publicly accessible explanation of all works carried out to date.

“This must include a clear breakdown of the exact kilometres completed, the specific locations where construction has commenced and ended, and a complete account of the current status of every section under contract.

“The principle of transparency in public procurement is neither optional nor negotiable. Nigerians deserve clarity, not conjecture.

“The Kaduna–Abuja road is not an ordinary route. It serves as a strategic artery connecting nearly twelve northern states to the Federal Capital Territory and, by extension, to the southern and western regions as we stated earlier.

“Its present deplorable condition is a national disgrace. It is causing fatal accidents, making commuters prone to bandits’ attacks and in most cases causing gridlocks which leads to loss of man-hours thereby causing severe economic losses on citizens.

“This state of affairs stands in direct contradiction to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises infrastructure renewal, safety, and the restoration of public confidence in governance.

“The stagnation of this project, under your portfolio, undermines that agenda and creates the perception of indifference or incompetence at the Ministry of Works.

“We believe strongly that your inability to use your years of experience as a Professor of Engineering in practice to monitor the project and ensure that the contractor invest what he was paid to ameliorate the suffering of our people will perpetually deny us the needed dividends of democracy.

“We wish to demand for the immediate termination of the contract awarded to Infioquest International Limited for showing lack of capacity to invest what they collected for the road contract.

“We demand your resignation as Minister of Works as we have lost absolute confidence in your ability to supervise all ongoing works under your care.

“Where our demands above are not met, we will have no option that to mobilise our members to occupy your office to ensure that the people’s will prevail.”

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