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Minister of Works, David Umahi, has pledged to step down if the ongoing Abuja–Kaduna–Kano Road project is found to be substandard, insisting he is ready to subject the work to independent testing.
Umahi made the declaration while defending his ministry’s ₦3.4 trillion budget before a joint session of the National Assembly on Wednesday. Lawmakers had raised concerns over the award of part of the project to a company they described as little-known and previously linked to generator sales.
Responding, Umahi dismissed doubts about the contractor’s background, stressing that performance should be judged by results. “I’m just hearing about Maikano for the first time. Whether they are selling goats or cows, they are doing well. I am satisfied with the quality of work on the Abuja–Kaduna stretch, and I challenge you to an inspection. Bring the best of your concrete testers. If you test it and it fails, I will throw in the towel,” he said.
He argued that durability depends more on supervision than on whether concrete or asphalt is used, noting that asphalt failures often stem from poor oversight.
Earlier, Umahi criticised the funding structure for capital projects, describing the cash plan adopted by the Ministry of Finance as “anti-progressive” and a barrier to effective execution. He stressed that over 95 per cent of projects under the ministry are ongoing, making consistent capital releases crucial.
The session was marked by heated exchanges, with tensions flaring between lawmakers and the minister, and later among committee members themselves. Calm was eventually restored after interventions, though disagreements persisted.
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