The Minister of Works, David Umahi, announced the termination of the contract for the 43-kilometer Port Harcourt–Aba Road, which was being handled by the **China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), citing poor performance.
Umahi made the disclosure on Sunday after inspecting the project, explaining that the decision was necessary due to the contractor’s persistent failure to improve its work despite numerous warnings. He noted that this failure has led to the collapse of sections of the road, despite a significant expenditure of public funds.
Key details from the Minister’s statement include:
* Project Status: Umahi stated that the Aba-bound lane of the road was “at the verge of total collapse”. The project is an inherited one, and the government has been providing funds to complete at least one carriageway.
* Construction Flaws: The Minister criticized CCECC’s method, which involved using concrete for the inner and outer shoulders and asphalt for the 7.3 carriageway. He expressed serious concern that the contractor had applied a binder course for a stretch of over 30 kilometers without adding the wearing course (the final protective layer).
* Failed Warnings: Umahi confirmed that several letters warning the contractor to maintain the road and adhere to specifications went ignored.
* Next Steps: The Federal Government will now engage a competent indigenous contractor to take over and complete the job.
* Sanctions: Despite the termination, Umahi insisted that CCECC must mill out the defective binder course it has already laid (and been paid for). He issued a stern warning that he would shut down all of CCECC’s projects in Nigeria if the company fails to comply.
The former Ebonyi State governor expressed deep displeasure, finding it regrettable that a contractor handling several federal projects would deliver such poor quality work.
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