The Federal Ministry of Works has expressed dissatisfaction with the handling of the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway construction by RCC Ltd, which is funded by MTN under the Road Infrastructure Development and Refurbishment Investment Tax Credit Scheme.
A delegation from the Anambra and Enugu caucus of the 10th National Assembly, led by Senate Minority Whip Osita Ngwu, visited the Minister of Works, David Umahi, to seek federal intervention.
Lawmakers present included Senators Okey Ezea and Kelvin Chukwu, alongside several House of Representatives members from Enugu and Anambra states, as well as senior MTN officials, key ministry directors, and representatives of RCC Ltd.
It was resolved that the ministry would formally request MTN to commit to a minimum monthly payment of N15 billion for the next 10 months to accelerate the project.
If MTN fails to comply, the ministry will initiate the process to terminate the project contract.
It was also agreed that three contractors should be engaged to complete the 79-kilometre stretch within the original contract sum of N202 billion, while the remaining 72 kilometres will be awarded to other contractors through a competitive bidding process, with MTN and RCC also invited to participate.
According to a statement from the Minister’s Special Adviser on Media, Uchenna Orji, the ministry expressed concerns that MTN’s approach does not align with the Tax Credit Executive Order.
According to the ministry, the delay in project execution, primarily due to inadequate funding and poor contract performance, has already led to a cost increase of over 100 per cent.
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If left unresolved, further delays could push the cost up by more than 200 per cent, which the government considers unacceptable, it noted.
During the meeting, Umahi assured the Southeast region of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to improving transportation infrastructure nationwide.
He expressed deep sympathy for the lives lost due to the incomplete road, particularly the recent tanker explosion at Ugwu Onyema.
The minister stressed that the Southeast has a significant place in the administration’s development plans and acknowledged that President Tinubu inherited 2,064 projects worth about N13 trillion, a figure that has now exceeded N20 trillion due to economic factors such as currency depreciation and fuel subsidy removal.
Senator Ngwu praised the scale of road construction under the administration but raised concerns about inadequate funding for critical projects like the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway.
He noted that the road has become a death trap for users and called for immediate funding to prevent further tragedies.
Ngwu also stressed that while the government has initiated many projects in the Southeast, a lack of funding could render them ineffective.
He urged the administration to ensure that projects receive adequate financial backing to deliver tangible benefits to the region.
Senator Victor Umeh (Anambra Central) also acknowledged the administration’s infrastructure efforts but appealed for accelerated funding for Southeast roads.
He noted that while national infrastructure projects are progressing, the Southeast needs urgent intervention to bridge its long-standing infrastructure deficit.
The lawmaker urged the President to prioritise road funding in the region to fully integrate it into the administration’s economic development agenda.
