Umahi orders arrest of Hartland MD over ₦14bn Benin-Onitsha Road contract

Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, has ordered the arrest of the Managing Director of Hartland Nigeria Limited over the company’s alleged failure to deliver an 11-kilometer section of the Benin-Onitsha Expressway despite allegedly receiving about ₦14 billion for the project.

Umahi spoke during an inspection of road infrastructure along the Agbor-Asaba-Onitsha corridor in Delta State, expressing displeasure that the contractor had completed only about 40 per cent of the work. The affected section runs from Summit Junction to the Head Bridge and includes channelisation and hydraulic structures.

The minister said he had previously contacted the company’s managing director to discuss the contractor’s return to site but expressed frustration over the firm’s failure to meet its obligations.
“I’ve called the MD to discuss their return to the site. I am going to look for him and have him arrested. I’m going to arrest him,” Umahi said on Thursday. He subsequently directed the ministry’s controller to locate and arrest the company’s managing director, while also ordering officials to commence moves to recover funds paid to the contractor.

Umahi further directed an audit of Hartland’s payment records and certificates across all its projects, warning that the company would face sanctions if found wanting. According to the minister, the agreement with Hartland was for the completion of the entire 11km stretch, including the channelisation and hydraulic structures. He said the level of work achieved so far was unacceptable and ordered that both sides of the Head Bridge approach be filled immediately.