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The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has given contractors handling sections of the Abuja-Lokoja highway rehabilitation project 72 hours to fully mobilise to site or risk sanctions, including possible prosecution by anti-graft and law enforcement agencies.

Umahi issued the ultimatum on Tuesday during a joint inspection of the highway alongside members of the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Works.

The minister warned that contractors who had received government funds but failed to execute projects in line with agreed timelines would no longer be tolerated.

“If you are holding the money of the Federal Government, you have to bring it out and do the job, or we start going to the police and the EFCC.

“I’m giving you 72 hours to effectively deploy on this road and utilise the money. The President has graciously approved the funds, and everyone involved must fulfil their obligations,” Umahi said.

He disclosed that President Bola Tinubu had approved funds for the project and urged contractors to immediately deploy equipment, personnel and resources to their respective sections of the road.

The minister expressed dissatisfaction with the pace of work by GELD Construction Limited, noting that only 8.2 kilometres of continuously reinforced concrete pavement had been completed on a 28-kilometre stretch despite the contractor spending several years on the project.

“GELD is not doing well at all on this project. The contractor has been on this job for years, and the progress recorded is not commensurate with the time spent on site,” Umahi said.

According to Umahi, the original contract covered 49.28 kilometres but was later reduced to 28 kilometres because of funding constraints.

He directed officials of the Federal Ministry of Works to identify the worst sections of the highway for immediate intervention using available funds, insisting that motorists should not continue to suffer the consequences of project delays.

The minister also warned ministry officials against poor supervision of projects, stating that engineers and project managers who fail to effectively monitor contractors could be removed from their positions.

“We can no longer keep quiet and allow contractors to do whatever they want to do. Contractors who have received government funds must utilise them for the intended purpose and ensure that critical sections of the road are attended to immediately,” he said.

Umahi lamented the hardship experienced by commuters due to prolonged construction activities and warned contractors against unnecessarily obstructing traffic flow.

“I feel very sad whenever I see this road completely blocked. Contractors have no right to keep road users suffering, and ministry officials have no right to keep quiet while that happens,” he stated.

While acknowledging that delayed payments had posed challenges for contractors, the minister appealed to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited to accelerate the release of funds for projects being financed under its tax credit arrangement with the Federal Government.

He maintained that the Tinubu administration remained committed to completing strategic road infrastructure projects across the country and warned that contractors unwilling or unable to continue work after receiving public funds could be replaced.

Speaking during the inspection, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Works, Akin Alabi, backed the minister’s position, saying infrastructure delivery required commitment from contractors, supervising engineers and funding agencies.

“The President cannot be everywhere, and neither can the minister. That is why there are engineers, controllers and supervisors on site. What we have seen here suggests that reports reaching the minister do not fully reflect realities on the ground,” Alabi said.

Similarly, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Works, Onyekachi Nwaebonyi, urged ministry officials to discharge their responsibilities diligently and called for timely payment for completed projects.

The Abuja-Lokoja highway is a major transport corridor linking the Federal Capital Territory with parts of the North-Central, South-East and South-South regions. Motorists have repeatedly complained about its deteriorating condition, frequent accidents and traffic congestion.

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The National Examinations Council (NECO) has announced plans to recruit no fewer than 22,000 supervisors for the 2026 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) Internal, while warning prospective applicants against fraudulent online recruitment portals.

The council said the recruitment exercise is part of preparations for the 2026 SSCE Internal examination scheduled to commence on June 15.

In a statement issued on Tuesday signed by the Acting Director of Information and Public Relations, Azeez Sani, NECO said it had adopted a fully electronic process for the recruitment of supervisors and assistant supervisors.

The council explained that the transition from the analogue recruitment system followed recommendations of the Ministerial Committee on the Improvement of Quality of Examination in Nigeria and is aimed at strengthening examination supervision across the country.

NECO said only qualified pensionable teachers on Grade Level 12 and above who are at least 30 years old are eligible to apply for the supervisory roles directing interested applicants to submit their applications through its official recruitment portal at supervisor.neco.gov.ng.

The council stressed that the recruitment process is fully automated and does not require the involvement of any third party.

NECO also warned members of the public against fake online portals allegedly recruiting examination supervisors. According to the council, the fraudulent websites have been requesting applicants to upload academic credentials and make payments.

It clarified that no payment is required from teachers applying to serve as supervisors in the forthcoming examination stating that the new electronic recruitment system is designed to curb fraud, reduce examination malpractice and enhance fairness, transparency and credibility in the recruitment process.

NECO urged prospective applicants and members of the public to disregard any platform demanding money or personal details outside its official recruitment portal.

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Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has called on local and international investors to take advantage of the vast investment opportunities in Abia State, particularly the ongoing Medical City Project and the Abia Industrial and Innovative Park (AIIP), which are designed by his administration to reverse medical tourism, stimulate industrial growth, and accelerate economic development.

Governor Otti made the call at the third edition of Invest Lagos 3.0, a flagship international investment summit hosted by the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in partnership with the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council.

The summit, themed “Lagos: Business Gateway to Africa – Powering Africa’s Next Era of Trade, Talent and Global Economic Leadership,” brought together investors, policymakers, and business leaders from across the world.

While addressing participants during the investment pitches by invited State Governors, moderated by Zain Asher, CNN correspondent, Governor Otti said that the State needed more investment in her healthcare sector, noting that Abia’s healthcare sector has consistently received 15% of the annual budget of the State Government in the last 3 years, only second to education that received the highest allocation of 20%.

“Today we have been rated as the most health-prepared State (SBM, 2025 Report). That’s looking at how much money we have allocated per capita on healthcare. In the last 3 years, we have allocated 15% of our budget to healthcare.

“We have about 277 Primary Healthcare Centers that we have refurbished, and about 135 of them have been functionalized. We’ll keep functionalizing them as we get all the materials and the healthcare professionals.

“We have hired about 800 healthcare Professionals; some of them came from outside the State to work in Abia State. We have about 7 General Hospitals that we are rebuilding.

“And, we have the tertiary hospitals – the Abia State University Teaching Hospital in Aba, the Specialist Hospital in Amachara, and the one in Umunnato.

“Where do we need help? We need help in our vision to build a Medical City. We have acquired 200 hectares for it. We have prepared it; we’ve built the road. But we need about 1.3 Billion dollars to put that in place,” Governor Otti stated.

The State Chief Executive explained that the idea is to reverse medical tourism and get at least 200 million dollars out of the about 2 billion dollars that Nigerians spend annually on medical treatments abroad.

On the Abia Industrial and Innovation Park (AIIP) he said, “Another Area we need investment is in the Abia Industrial and Innovation Park…

“The Industrial Park is in Owaza where we have oil and gas,” Gov. Otti disclosed, stating that he will engage more with AFREXIM Bank, whose presentation at the summit dwelt more on investment in the building and development of Industrial Parks.

Governor Otti used the platform to highlight some of the key people-centered achievements of his administration, including the construction, reconstruction, and rehabilitation of 414 roads spanning about 864 kilometres, as well as ongoing work on 82 additional roads covering approximately 211 kilometres across the State.

The Governor drew the attention of investors to the enterprising and resilient nature of Abia people, noting that the State possesses a vibrant population with exceptional entrepreneurial capacity, capable of producing almost anything when provided with an enabling environment, especially reliable power supply.

He also spoke on the ongoing transformation of the major commercial hubs in the State, including the reconstruction of Ekeoha Market and the comprehensive modernization of Ariaria International Market, alongside other strategic markets.

Governor Otti further highlighted the restoration of near 24-hour power supply within the Aba ring-fenced area, covering nine local government areas.

He explained that his administration, working closely with the Federal Government through the Office of the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, successfully resolved longstanding challenges that delayed the take-off of the multi-million-dollar Geometric Power Project in Aba for many years.

Governor Otti informed the participants that discussions have also advanced with the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) to replicate the Aba power model in Umuahia and the remaining parts of the State.

He added that the establishment of the Abia State Electricity Regulatory Agency is part of a broader strategy to achieve stable electricity supply across the State and get the State completely off the national grid.

“We believe that Geometric, at maximum capacity of 188 megawatts, would have excess capacity, and we can just wheel it to Umuahia and other parts of the State.

“And by God’s grace, in a few years, we should also guarantee 24 hours power supply in Umuahia and other local Governments.

“Now, why does this matter? It matters because a lot of manufacturers and industries, about 60-70% of their costs are in power and energy.

“I got a call from somebody yesterday that wanted to relocate a steel plant that had been built in another State.

“He is looking for where he can be guaranteed 24 hours of power supply, and I said, please come.

“I have already allocated five hectares of land for the plant to be close to Geometric. So, the plant is going to move,” Governor Otti disclosed.

The Governor equally talked about the launch of 20 electric buses in December last year, currently plying the whole State, with an additional 20, currently on their way to Abia from China, making it 40 electric buses with more to come in the coming months until the 100 target is achieved by the end of the year.

“In the last 3 years, Abia has rapidly emerged as an attractive investment destination under Governor Otti’s intentional leadership.

“In the agricultural sector alone, the State has attracted over $320 million in investments, with Presco Plc committing over $200 million to oil palm development and processing, while Nimble Shaw is committing about $120 million to similar investments.

“KADJI Group, the parent company of Ultimum Limited, producers of razzle drinks, is investing about $100 million in their production facility in Aba, launched earlier this year with an initial investment valued at over $30 million.”

The Chief Press Secretary to Governor Otti, Ukoha Njoku Ukoha, reacting to his boss’s participation in the Lagos summit further added that Governor Otti’s administration recently acquired the moribund Star Paper Mill Limited and the previously underutilized Afro Beverages facility in Aba from the Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON), which investors are in advanced talks for full takeover from the Government.

According to him, the state is jointly developing an Airport project with the Federal Government. The runway being handled by the State Government is speedily progressing.

He added that Governor Otti also recently approved the commencement of a feasibility study for the development of a proposed seaport in Ukwa East Local Government Area of the State.

The move, Ukoha said forms part of a broader economic strategy to position Abia as a major gateway for trade, commerce, and industrial development in the South-East and South-South regions of Nigeria.