Umahi Orders Arrest of Contractor Over N14bn Road Project

On Friday, October 20, 2023, David Umahi, the Minister of Works, ordered the arrest of the Managing Director of Hartland Nigeria Limited due to the company's failure to complete an 11-kilometre section of the Benin-Onitsha Expressway. Hartland Nigeria Limited had received approximately N14bn from the Federal Government for this project but had only completed about 40% of the work.

During an inspection of the expressway, Umahi expressed his frustration over the poor state of the road and the contractor's inability to fulfill the contractual obligations. He stated that an agreement was made to use the funds for the completion of the stretch from Summit Junction to a bridge, including channelisation and hydraulic structures.

Umahi directed ministry officials to locate and arrest the managing director and retrieve details of the contractor's payments. He also ordered a review of the contractor's certificates and payments, emphasizing the need for immediate action to recover the funds if the company failed to meet its obligations.