The Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, has said that President Bola Tinubu has given a clear mandate to the ministry to empower and encourage local contractors.

He, however, added the contractor handling the Oyo-Ogbomoso dual carriageway project, JRB Construction Company Ltd, and other local contractors were already fulfilling the clear mandate the president gave to the ministry with the quality of work they were doing.

The minister made the declaration during his inspection of the project, saying he had no apology for making such a declaration.

Recall that the entire 52-kilometre road was originally awarded to another firm before JRB Construction took over to complete the project within an 18-month timeframe.

Umahi stated: “But for JRB, an indigenous contractor, I am very shocked. I was here before and all those difficult things on this road, JRB has diminished them and I declare him the best indigenous contractor in the Ministry of Works.

“I have no apology for that, people should come and see what he’s doing. For those of you that followed me here the first time we came, it was so terrible. Mind-blowing what JRB has done and we will continue to encourage you.

“The drainage you have, it is only Hi-Tec that can compare with the quality of drainage you have. Honestly, I am very proud of what you are doing.”

The minister called on JRB construction and other local companies to upgrade and strive to reach the heights of Hi-Tech construction companies handling the Lagos-Calabar coatal highway project.

He added: “I want JRB to upgrade, everybody’s height should be on the performance of Hi-Tec to get to that level. And with what you are doing, you can get to that level and you also have equipment that I don’t see any other indigenous contractor that can compare with you in the volume of equipment. You have very sharp workers, both expatriates and indigenous.

“So you are complete and we are ready to partner with you. We will report your good work again to Mr. President for support. You are fulfilling one of the clear mandates the president gave us, ‘raise indigenous contractors’.

“If indigenous contractors can do this, then we have no reason to be giving expatriates 25 jobs and they are reading newspapers everyday telling you stories of what is happening in your village and they are not ready to put one kobo.

“This man (JRB) has done more than the percentage we paid to him, so why wouldn’t we support him? So, for any contractor that will not put out their own money like Hi-Tec or JRB, that person is not a partner in the development of this country.

“You are not ready to put a kobo, you are making profit, even when you are are sure that we will pay you, you still wouldn’t want to take a small risk. If there is no relationship, then there is no risk, that is what they are telling us.”

Speaking to journalists at the project site in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, the company’s Technical Project Manager, Joseph Onche, assured that the project would be completed before the official September 2026 deadline.

He added that they mobilised to the site as soon as the contract was awarded.

Onche noted that they have now spent eight months on the project, while assuring that the project would be delivered ahead of schedule.