Dave Umahi
Oluwatosin Ogunride
The Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, has called on communities in Benue, Ebonyi, Enugu, Cross River, Kogi and other parts of the country to recognise and appreciate President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration for its ongoing infrastructure projects across the country.
Umahi made the call during an inspection of the ongoing construction of the Federal Government’s Trans-Saharan Highway, which traverses Ebonyi, Benue, Cross River, Enugu, Kogi and other states.
The former Ebonyi State governor described Tinubu’s intervention as significant to communities along the highway corridor, particularly those that have historically faced challenges accessing major federal roads.
According to Umahi, the infrastructure projects would improve the movement of agricultural produce, vehicles and machinery while opening up rural communities to greater economic opportunities.
He said the President’s focus on infrastructure was driven by a desire to improve the welfare of Nigerians, adding that he had directed the Ministry of Works to collaborate with relevant state governments to address critical infrastructure challenges affecting communities.
The minister commended Tinubu for approving mobilisation for the Trans-Saharan Highway project despite the country’s financial challenges and the large number of infrastructure projects currently being executed nationwide.
Umahi said the Federal Government remained committed to completing the ongoing projects, projecting that the major road projects under the administration would be completed by the end of 2031.
“President Tinubu has taken the bull by the horns and intervened in many issues. We cannot have all the money to do all the projects at once, so we will continue to do the much we can based on our available resources,” he said.
He added that previous administrations could have significantly reduced Nigeria’s infrastructure deficit had they undertaken similar interventions.
According to him, the Federal Government had already commenced interventions on several major road projects, including the Ibadan-Ijebu Ode corridor and the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.
“The President is concerned about the welfare of the people. That is why he directed us to do everything possible, in collaboration with the relevant state governments, to address problems affecting the people,” Umahi said.
He appealed to residents of communities along the project corridor to acknowledge the Federal Government’s intervention and support efforts to ensure the successful completion of the highway.
“I think the President is a miracle to these communities because without this intervention, many of them would not have been able to move their agricultural produce, vehicles and machinery,” he said.
Umahi also urged Nigerians to support Tinubu’s bid for re-election in the 2027 presidential election.
Monarch Commends Federal Government
Speaking during the inspection, the traditional ruler of Ndiagu Ishieke Autonomous Community in Ado Local Government Area of Benue State, Idenyi Agbo, commended the Federal Government for the road project.
Agbo described the project as an example of responsive governance and a major intervention capable of transforming the economic fortunes of communities along the corridor.
The monarch also praised Umahi for applying his engineering expertise and administrative experience while taking the cultural heritage of host communities into consideration.
He particularly commended the minister for ensuring that his palace was not demolished during the road construction, describing the decision as evidence of respect for traditional institutions.
According to Agbo, the approach demonstrated that critical infrastructure could be delivered without unnecessarily destroying historical and cultural assets within host communities.
The traditional ruler expressed appreciation to Tinubu and Umahi for the intervention and assured the Federal Government of the community’s cooperation throughout the project.
He subsequently declared support for the re-election of President Tinubu, Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State and other APC candidates in the 2027 general elections.
“There is no other person we would rather support at this moment outside President Bola Tinubu, Governor Hyacinth Alia and the APC candidates because we have seen the impact of their administration in our communities,” Agbo said.
The monarch, however, urged residents and youths to protect the infrastructure and cooperate with contractors, engineers and government officials to ensure that the project is completed according to specifications and within schedule.
Contractor Explains Construction Measures
The Project Manager for Section Two of the Trans-Sahara Highway, Rabih Munayer, said the contractor was implementing directives from the Minister of Works to minimise property damage and avoid unnecessary demolition along the road alignment.
Munayer disclosed that Section Two covered approximately 173.4 kilometres, subject to adjustments arising from an ongoing design review.
“This is Section Two of this major superhighway,” he said, explaining that the section traverses parts of Benue, Enugu and Kogi states before terminating at the Benue River and Nasarawa boundary.
He said the contractor would deploy additional pipes and temporary measures, particularly during the rainy season, to maintain trafficability and facilitate construction without unnecessarily disrupting communities.
According to him, the measures would allow construction equipment to move along the corridor while reducing the need for demolitions and avoidable property damage.
Also speaking, the consultant and designer for Section Two, Akelakpa Edra, said the project design was being reviewed to incorporate the minister’s directives.
He explained that the review included replacing some culverts with bridges and adjusting sections of the alignment where necessary to avoid properties.
Edra said the revised design would incorporate the minister’s instructions to minimise the project’s impact on communities along the corridor.
Community Stakeholders Back Project
A stakeholder from Odoke Ishieke community, Chief Patrick Agbo, described the road project as a major Federal Government intervention with the potential to stimulate economic activities, improve connectivity and expand commercial opportunities in the area.
He urged Umahi to convey the community’s appreciation to President Tinubu and other authorities involved in the project.
According to him, improved road connectivity would facilitate the movement of agricultural produce, people and goods while creating opportunities for commerce and other socio-economic activities.
The stakeholder also expressed support for APC candidates, saying residents would continue to identify with administrations whose policies and projects have a direct impact on their communities.
He assured the Federal Government, contractors and workers of the community’s cooperation and support for the security of the project.
He also appealed to residents and youths to protect construction personnel and equipment deployed to the area, stressing that the successful completion of the highway would benefit the communities along the corridor.
