Tinubu is implementing south-east road projects conceived in colonial times, says Umahi – THISAGE

Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, has said several road projects for the South East region, originally conceived during the colonial era but left unrealized for decades, are now coming to life under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda.

Speaking in Ebonyi State on Saturday, while leading senior journalists and government officials on a tour of the administration’s legacy projects, Senator Umahi, former governor of Ebonyi State, highlighted the Calabar-Ebonyi-Benue Trans-Saharan Highway as a project of strategic importance for the South East, South-South and parts of the North Central region.

“It is a long forgotten colonial era dream, but President Tinubu revived it and construction is now underway. We must thank him immensely,” he said.

The minister reported that the project is progressing regularly, noting that the first section, initially 118 kilometers, has been extended to 123.6 kilometers, with a contract amount of ₦45 billion, and that dualization works are underway.

According to Umahi, Section Two, which runs from Aboadi border through Benue and Kogi states to Nasarawa, was also awarded at a cost of ₦668 billion.

He noted that the project has reached about 28% completion in some areas, with work continuing even during the rainy season, thanks to President Tinubu’s adoption of concrete road technology.

“The Trans-Sahara Highway is not just a road; it is an investment corridor that will catalyze trade in agricultural products such as cassava, sweet potatoes, cashews and palm oil from Cross River, Benue and Ebonyi, while connecting Nigeria to Cameroon,” Umahi explained.

He noted that the concrete road technology introduced by President Tinubu as governor is now being implemented nationwide.

Umahi expressed the South East’s gratitude to the President for ending decades of exclusion, saying: “All our forefathers sought inclusivity – now we have it.”

During the tour, the team, including Senator Umahi, Acting Federal Comptroller of Ebonyi State, Engr. Maxwell Okoh and Mohammed Mustafa, Project Managers of Infiouest International Limited (the contractor of the Calabar-Abuja Trans-Sahara Highway), inspected the critical bridges in Section One and the concrete pavement in Onueke Section. They also inspected the 1.3 kilometer Ndi-Egbe bridge in Afikpo LGA, Ebonyi, which connects Ugep in Cross River State and is expected to be completed by December 2026.

Regarding the Onueke flyover in Ebonyi Central Senatorial District, Umahi noted that the ₦35 billion project is designed to decongest the highway. The overpass is 90 meters high and is flanked on both sides by a 2.2 kilometer long road.

The minister explained that section two of the highway, awarded to Infiouest International Limited, runs from Ebonyi border through Benue and Kogi to Loko-Oweto Bridge in Nasarawa State, covering 123.6 kilometres.

The team also inspected the completed concrete pavement link road between Ebonyi and Cross River states, particularly from Okposi-Ukawu in Oha-Zara Local Government of Ebonyi and Ugwulangu-Abaomege in UGEP Ugep Local Government of Cross River State.

Meanwhile, Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru has said his state remains the safest in Nigeria, with no cases of kidnapping reported since he assumed office.

While receiving the media delegation in Abakaliki, Governor Nwifuru thanked President Tinubu for his commitment to infrastructure development in the South East, particularly in Ebonyi, and his national renewal programme. He also highlighted numerous completed and ongoing projects in the State, including rural roads, primary health centers and water systems.

“We have kept contractors busy in the state with projects spread across every local government area, from rural roads to primary health centers and water systems. We don’t even consider road projects a big problem because we have road projects spread across the state.”

Governors and leaders from the South East are expected to converge in Abakaliki in a giant rally on Monday to support President Tinubu for a second term in office.

Governors and leaders from the South East will gather in Abakaliki on Monday for a huge rally to support President Tinubu for a second term. Umahi said Governor Nwifuru will lead the people of Ebonyi State at the rally to show appreciation to President Tinubu. He urged Ebonyi citizens to ignore complaints from opposition politicians that they cannot match the record of President Tinubu.

The National Media Tour is organized by the Renewed Hope Ambassadors led by Governor Hope Uzodimma, in collaboration with the Presidential Media Team.

The Southeast visit is the team’s second regional tour, following the Northwest tour. The delegation is led by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, and Chief Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communications.

Other members of the team include Mr. Tunde Rahman, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media; Tope Ajayi, Senior Special Assistant to the President for Media and Publicity; Mr. Otega Ogra, Senior Special Assistant to the President for Digital and New Media; Segun Dada, Special Assistant to the President on Social Media; Linda Akhigbe and Fred Nwabufo, Senior Special Assistants to the President for Strategic Communications; Abdullahi Tanko Yakasai and Barrister Chioma Nweze, Senior Special Assistants to the President on Community Engagement; and Dare Olude, Senior Special Assistant to the President for Job Creation.

From Ebonyi, the team will travel to Enugu State on Monday and subsequently Abia, Anambra and Imo States to inspect projects undertaken under the Renewed Hope agenda.

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