Abuja — Construction work on the N2.3 billion Lokoja port project has taken off, two years after the contract was awarded.

The contractor was said to have returned to site after the Minister of Transport, Alhaji Ibrahim Bio, threatened to revoke the contract.

On March 31, Bio inspected the project site and issued a four-week ultimatum to the contractor to return to site failing which the contract would be revoked.

He said then that government had run out of patience and could take legal action against the contractor, if he did not return to site.

The contractor was paid a mobilisation fee of N580 million, but blamed its inability to deliver on the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), the supervising parastatal on the project.

The Project Manager of the construction company, Mr Henry Odioyenfe, had told the minister during the site inspection on March 31: "The project is not being delayed by our company. It is being delayed due to some factors, which are beyond our control. NIWA is liable."