By Sandra Kenneth
The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has ordered the immediate arrest of the Managing Director of Hartland Nigeria Limited following the firm’s failure to complete a critical 11-kilometre stretch of the Benin-Onitsha Expressway, despite receiving approximately N14 billion from the Federal Government.
The Minister issued the directive during an unscheduled inspection of the project site, expressing dissatisfaction over the deplorable condition of the vital commercial corridor and the contractor’s performance.
According to Umahi, an agreement was reached with Hartland Nigeria Limited to utilize the disbursed funds to execute full construction work—including channelisation and hydraulic structures—from Summit Junction to the nearby bridge. However, evaluations show that only about 40 percent of the agreed project scope has been completed.
Clamping Down on Defaulting Firms
Umahi instructed the Ministry’s Federal Controller of Works to track down the company’s chief executive and directed ministry officials to audit all payment certificates and ongoing contracts tied to the firm across the country.
Additionally, the Ministry has initiated recovery protocols to reclaim public funds through the contractor’s financial institutions and guarantee instruments. Directors have been instructed to formally communicate with the involved banks to enforce guarantees and issue appropriate sanctions against the contractor.
Measures to Disgest Traffic and Curb Environmental Risk
To mitigate the hardship faced by commuters, ministry engineers were directed to inspect two bridges along the section and implement immediate remedial measures on a key one-kilometre stretch to relieve severe traffic congestion.
During the tour, the Minister also issued wider enforcement orders:
Maintenance Mandate: Federal Controllers of Works nationwide must compel contractors to maintain passable conditions on active project corridors—including filling critical sections with stone base—regardless of pending payment status.
Illegal Dredging: Directives were issued for the immediate arrest of individuals engaged in unauthorized dredging operations along federal road rights-of-way.
Erosion Control: Another firm working along the bypass, TCCCC, was ordered to urgently construct drainage channels to protect adjacent residential properties from severe erosion caused by site operations.
Umahi commended Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, for compensating property owners along the right-of-way, noting that the state’s intervention helps safeguard economic activities along the critical transit artery connecting Edo, Delta, and Anambra states.
