“If Abuja–Kaduna–Kano Road Fails Quality Test, I Will Resign” — Umahi

The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has said he will resign if any section of the ongoing Abuja–Kaduna–Kano road project fails an independent quality assessment.

Umahi made the statement on Wednesday while defending his ministry’s 3.4 trillion naira budget proposal before a joint session of the National Assembly.

Lawmakers questioned the decision to award part of the project to a company some described as unfamiliar in road construction and previously linked to generator sales. Senator Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North) asked why the contract was reassigned from an established construction firm to a company with little known track record in highway development.

In response, Umahi dismissed concerns about the contractor’s background and urged lawmakers to judge the project by the standard of work delivered.

“I am satisfied with the quality of work on the Abuja–Kaduna stretch. Bring the best concrete testers. If it fails the test, I will resign,” he said, adding that the contractor’s prior line of business was irrelevant if the work met required standards.

He argued that the durability of roads depends more on proper supervision than on whether concrete or asphalt is used, noting that many asphalt failures are linked to weak oversight rather than material choice.

Umahi also criticised the funding structure for capital projects, describing the cash plan system used by the Ministry of Finance as a major obstacle to project execution. He said more than 95 per cent of projects under the Ministry of Works are ongoing and require steady funding to avoid delays.

The session was marked by tense exchanges. Lawmakers reacted when Umahi asked one member to pause so he could follow the line of questioning. Oshiomhole cautioned the minister over his conduct as voices rose in the chamber.

Order was briefly restored before another dispute broke out when Senate Deputy Chief Whip Onyekachi Nwaebonyi (APC, Ebonyi North Central) objected to attempts by the committee chairman to limit his remarks. An effort by Senator Ali Ndume (APC, Borno South) to calm the situation did not immediately ease the tension.