The Federal Ministry of Works has strongly refuted claims published by Daily Trust on January 21, 2025, alleging that a contract for the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano road dualization project was awarded to Infoquest Nigeria Ltd. In a press conference held on the same day, the Minister of Works, Senator Nweze David Umahi, described the report as “false, misleading, and damaging.”
Umahi clarified that the ministry has no business relationship with Infoquest Nigeria Ltd. He emphasized that the company handling the project is Infiouest International Limited, which he described as “corporately active and fully compliant with all legal requirements under the Companies and Allied Matters Act.” The minister labeled the report as “a deliberate orchestration by a cartel to malign the ministry, undermine the Renewed Hope administration’s efforts in road infrastructure development, and discredit a capable contractor.”
Calling for accountability, Umahi demanded that Daily Trust publish an unreserved apology to the Federal Ministry of Works in at least five national newspapers. “Such baseless publications are insensitively misleading and injurious, not only to the ministry but to the integrity of our infrastructure revolution,” he said.
The minister also criticized recent publications by Julius Berger Plc, which he claimed were part of a coordinated campaign of “falsehood, blackmail, and sabotage” against the ministry’s policies on transparency, value for money, and quality assurance. He urged the public and media to support the fight against such practices.
The Minister of State for Works, Rt. Hon. Mohammed Bello Goronyo, commended the ministry’s swift action in countering the false narrative. He called on media organizations to prioritize accuracy and avoid being used by “fifth columnists” to undermine national development goals. “The media must cross-check facts with relevant authorities to ensure the truth reaches the public,” Goronyo stated.
Engr. Folunso O. Adebiyi, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, described the press briefing as timely and thoughtful. He stressed the importance of development journalism, urging media professionals to uphold truth and objectivity in their reporting. “Journalists must resist becoming tools in the hands of enemies of national progress,” Adebiyi said.
The ministry reaffirmed its commitment to delivering high-quality road projects in line with best practices and assured Nigerians that it would not be distracted by unfounded allegations.
