When President Bola Tinubu took office, the minister of works, David Umahi, revealed that there had been “almost no projects” in the South-East of Nigeria. He also highlighted that significant improvements have since been made to close the infrastructure gap.
He made a speech on Thursday at the All-Presidential Congress (APC) National Summit in Abuja, where the Federal Government presented its two-year works sector performance report.
Umahi said, “We inherited almost no project in the South-East, but the Enugu to Onitsha project is ongoing, and the Enugu to Abakaliki road is also in progress.
The Second Niger Bridge, which provides both the Delta and the Anambra states, is also making steady progress.
Umahi praised the president for putting emphasis on infrastructure as a means of increasing the country’s GDP. “We may have challenges, but I must commend you very highly because you know that the works sector is the one that grows a country’s GDP, and other sectors build on it. You and I have a great working relationship. You are an excellent man.
He also praised the positive social media feedback. What is happening on social media makes me very happy. You’re receiving a lot of praise for the work you’re doing, he continued.
Investment-driven
Umahi described the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway as a groundbreaking investment-driven project while highlighting the Federal Government’s vision.
The 750-kilometer highway, in his opinion, serves as a strategic economic artery as well.
Let me begin with the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway by stating that these four legacy projects are investment-driven projects rather than just road projects. Many of our already-existing roads across states will be connected to this project when it is finished, he said.
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He added that Section 1 of the highway, which extends 47.47 kilometers by two lanes, has been fully constructed and is about 80% finished. The 55-kilometer stretch of Section 2 runs from Elepe Junction to the Ogun border. By the end of June 2025, Umahi promised to finish ten kilometers of that section.
The project’s economic and environmental benefits were further explained by the works minister.
Part of the project will be supported by the use of low-emissions reinforced concrete and solar power. We will now be transloading our goods because the draft at Apapa Wharf is shallow, but with the help of this road and connection to the deep seaport. We will also be generating carbon credits, “Umahi stated.
Shagari’s “Highway Dream”
The Shehu Shagari administration’s initial plan to revive the long-abandoned Sokoto-Badagry Highway was later revived by President Tinubu.
The Shagari administration had a dream about the Badagry-Sokoto highway, but you arrived and realized it. You requested that the over 1, 068 km stretch of that road be made of concrete pavement. He claimed that we have already procured 258 kilometers (by two lanes) in Kebbi State.
Umahi also pointed out that President Tinubu inherited 2, 604 ongoing works projects worth totaling $113 trillion. 260 new projects totaling $ 208 billion were scoped and are now fully operational, just to name a few of them, between 2023 and 2024.
Source: Channels TV
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