The Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, has issued a stern warning to GELD Construction Ltd., the contractor handling the Ikorodu-Itoki Road project, threatening contract termination if ministry directives continue to be ignored.

Umahi made the warning on Sunday during an on-site inspection of the project, expressing strong dissatisfaction with the pace and work attitude at the site. He accused the contractor of focusing more on perceived difficulties than cooperating with the government to deliver tangible results.

“I am deeply disappointed. Instead of working with us to achieve what is possible at this stage, they are preoccupied with what they claim cannot be done,” Umahi said. “How long do they intend to remain on this project? That phase is over. The supervising engineer risks losing his job if work does not commence immediately.”

The minister stressed that the supervising engineer must report any acts of disobedience by the contractor, warning that failure to comply could result in the contractor’s arrest and termination of the contract.

To reduce traffic disruptions along the corridor, Umahi directed that excavation work be conducted at night. The project will proceed in sections, with night-time excavation followed by immediate backfilling using a stone-cement base to allow smooth traffic flow.

“The approach will give the road a concrete-like finish while allowing traffic to move seamlessly as construction continues section by section,” he said.

Work on the first five kilometres will involve milling the existing surface and reusing the material to construct the road shoulders. While some sections cannot accommodate shoulders, the ministry plans to mill the full eight-metre width, then apply 60 millimetres of binder and 40 millimetres of wearing course for durability and safety.

Umahi emphasized that delays would no longer be tolerated and warned