The Minister of Works, Dave Nweze Umahi, has declared that the ministry’s records on all road projects under his supervision are open for public scrutiny, amid mounting criticisms and protests over its operations.
Speaking during a press briefing in Abuja, Umahi said he had already invited anti-corruption agencies to independently investigate the ministry’s activities since he assumed office.
According to him, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has completed part of its probe, while the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is expected to begin its own review after an ongoing summit.
He maintained that all road projects are executed through due process involving relevant officials and contractors, stressing that every expenditure can be accounted for.
The minister added that transparency remains central to the ministry’s operations.
Umahi also defended the ministry’s policy shift from asphalt to concrete roads, saying the decision—though initially resisted—was aimed at building more durable infrastructure.
According to him, many of the concrete roads now being constructed could last up to 100 years with minimal maintenance.
Meanwhile, the minister clarified that five engineers from NELAN Consulting Engineers who went missing in Ebonyi State in 2021 were victims of the communal conflict between Effium and Ezza-Effium communities.
Responding to a protest by relatives of the engineers, Umahi said the victims were not specifically targeted but were caught in the wider violence while supervising the Abakaliki Ring Road project financed by the African Development Bank.