The Federal Government has issued a firm directive to contractors handling critical road projects across Nigeria, mandating them not to shut down their construction sites during the Christmas and New Year holidays without explicit ministerial approval.
Minister's Directives to Ensure Free Flow of Traffic
This order was given by the Minister of Works, David Umahi, during a meeting with contractors in Abuja on Tuesday, December 24, 2024. The minister specifically named key arteries including the Abuja-Lokoja, Lagos-Port Harcourt, Keffi-Makurdi, and Abuja-Kano expressways.
Umahi emphasized the urgent need to keep these roads clear to ease the movement of travellers during the festive season. He expressed the government's embarrassment over the recent gridlock on the Abuja-Lokoja expressway, where a standoff between truck drivers and military personnel left thousands stranded overnight.
"I plead with you to free the roads, because we were thoroughly embarrassed by the Abuja-Lokoja road and we do not want a repeat of that situation," the minister stated.
NNPCL Debt Payment and New Supervision Model
In a significant financial development, Umahi announced that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to pay the sum of N263 billion owed to road contractors. However, the minister clarified that this payment is contingent on contractors formally exiting previous agreements related to the NNPCL Tax Credit scheme inherited by the government.
Umahi revealed that the total debt owed to contractors from 2023 to date stands at a staggering N2.13 trillion. He stressed that the verification of these figures must be completed before any payments commence, urging all owed contractors to come forward with evidence.
"N263 billion will be paid to you by the NNPCL as directed by the President, but you have to exit previous agreements before you receive the payment," he said.
Overhaul of Project Supervision
The minister also unveiled a major shift in how projects, especially those previously under the NNPCL tax credit scheme, will be managed. From January 7, 2026, the Ministry of Works will take over direct payments to contractors for these projects.
To address what he called "our greatest problem... the lack of supervision," Umahi declared that every senior director in the ministry must be assigned to a specific project for direct oversight. He mandated the digitalization of all operations, warning that any director not compliant would be reported for removal.
"Every senior director will have a specific project to supervise... If you are not digitalised, the permanent secretary will write to the Head of Service to remove you," the minister warned, promising that all verified debts would be settled.
