Publish details of N30bn East-West road approval, Ugolor tells Umahi

By Adesina Wahab An activist and publisher of The Common Good Letter, Rev. David Ugolor, has challenged the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, to publish details of the Federal Government’s approval of N30 billion for remedial works on the East-West Road. Ugolor said making the details public would promote transparency and accountability in the use of public funds, while enabling communities, motorists and civil society organisations to monitor the project’s implementation.

In an open letter to the minister, he welcomed the announcement that the Federal Executive Council approved the N30 billion for repairs to deteriorated sections of the road at its meeting on October 28, 2026. He, however, said the announcement should be followed by clear information on the scope of work, contractors, funding arrangements and completion timelines.

“An approval is one stage of delivery. Nigerians also need to know what work has been authorised, who will execute it, how it will be financed and when it will be completed,” Ugolor said. He called on the ministry to identify all sections of the road covered by the approval, including the states, communities, kilometre points and length of each intervention.

He specifically asked whether the package included the damaged Kira section in Rivers State and other locations recently affected by flooding. Ugolor also urged the ministry to publish the engineering scope, bill of quantities and completion standards, clarifying whether the funds would cover temporary repairs, permanent reconstruction, drainage improvements, bridges, culverts or road elevation.

On procurement, he asked Umahi to disclose the contractors and supervising consultants, as well as whether the interventions involved new contracts, variations to existing contracts or other delivery arrangements. He further requested details of the procurement process, relevant approvals and applicable clearances from the Bureau of Public Procurement.

The activist also sought clarification on the source of funding, asking the ministry to distinguish between the amount approved, funds released, payments made to contractors and sums certified against completed work, including the dates of each transaction. Ugolor called for an explanation of how the N30 billion approval related to existing East-West Road contracts and the previously announced reconstruction of approximately 400 kilometres between Edo and Cross River states.

He urged the ministry to publish a consolidated schedule showing the boundaries, costs and responsibilities of the different interventions to prevent overlaps or uncertainty over project delivery. On road safety and durability, Ugolor called for the publication of relevant drainage, flood-risk and geotechnical assessments. He said the ministry should explain how the designs would address water flow, road elevation and the safety of neighbouring communities, including consultation and compensation arrangements where applicable.

The publisher also asked the ministry to disclose when contractors had been or would be mobilised, the expected completion dates, measurable project milestones, traffic management arrangements and the officials responsible for monitoring progress. Ugolor urged relevant committees of the National Assembly to scrutinise the approval and track the expenditure through to the completion of the work.

He also called on state governments, host communities, transport associations and civil society organisations to seek access to project information to enable them to monitor implementation. “The Common Good Letter supports urgent repairs and a transparent, adequately funded programme for the wider East-West Road,” he said. He urged Umahi to provide a consolidated public explanation accompanied by the approval, procurement, funding and implementation records.

“Public money must deliver safe roads, measurable progress and lasting relief,” Ugolor added.