Umahi to revoke Maiduguri-Kano road construction awarded to Dantata & Sawoe Ltd contractors

The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has expressed disappointment over the recent flood damage to section three of the newly rehabilitated Kano-Maiduguri highway.

In a statement by his media aide, Orji Uchenna Orji, Umahi lamented the short lifespan of many completed road projects in Nigeria, noting that they often fail to last even five years.

To address the issue, Umahi disclosed that a technical team from the ministry has been dispatched to assess the damage and develop a long-term solution for the affected section of the highway. Additionally, he announced the termination of the contract for section one of the Kano-Maiduguri road, which was originally awarded to Dantata & Sawoe Ltd in 2007, due to the project’s prolonged timeline.

“I have instructed the Director of Highway Rehabilitation to collaborate with the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Works to quickly dispatch a technical team to evaluate the situation. It’s unfortunate that after contractors complete their work, we often find ourselves back at square one within just a few years,” Umahi said.

He continued, “This is why I’ve consistently argued against the current one-year liability period. A poorly executed job might survive for a year, but it certainly won’t endure for five years. We will be asking the contractor, Mothercart Ltd, to join the team in investigating why the road has split as reported today.”

During a performance review meeting with Dangote Group, BUA Group, and Mainstream Energy Solutions Ltd—companies involved in road projects under the Road Infrastructure Development and Refurbishment Investment Tax Credit Scheme—Umahi emphasized the need to revise the liability period for all federal government projects to ensure their durability and cost-effectiveness.

He also highlighted the progress made in funding critical projects through the Tax Credit Scheme and urged contractors to expedite their work on ongoing projects, particularly those located along key economic corridors. Moving forward, Umahi said that agreements on milestone completion and timetables would be established for all projects undertaken under the tax credit scheme.