By Nkechinyere Ewa
The Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, has called on Nigerians, particularly people of the South-East, to recognise and tell the story of the ongoing transformation of the region through massive federal road infrastructure projects under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Umahi made the call during an inspection of ongoing road projects in Ebonyi State, saying the renewed investment in roads was improving connectivity, opening up communities and creating opportunities for commerce, security and employment.
The minister said the development taking place across the South-East should be assessed based on its impact on the lives and businesses of the people rather than through old narratives of marginalisation.
He challenged the media to visit project sites and report the realities on the ground, arguing that many commentators on social media had formed opinions about the region without experiencing the changes taking place.
According to him, improved roads are gradually bringing communities and states closer together, making movement of people and goods easier and strengthening economic ties between the South-East and other parts of the country.
“When Sokoto becomes very close to Ebonyi, when Calabar becomes very close to Kebbi, when the marginalisation of the South-East has become a thing of the past, should we not be bold enough to tell the story?” he asked.
Umahi said President Tinubu had demonstrated an intention to promote inclusive governance and address longstanding infrastructure deficits in the South-East.
He added that his appointment as Minister of Works was part of the President’s broader vision of integrating the region into the national development agenda.
The minister disclosed that the administration had embarked on massive road construction across the country, with the South-East benefiting from several strategic projects.
He cited the Aba-Ikot Ekpene road, where one carriageway has been completed while work continues on the second carriageway, as one of the projects changing the transportation and economic landscape of the region.
On the Ndibe Beach-Onueke-Ezza-Ebonyi road, Umahi said the project covered 125.5 kilometres and was designed to improve connectivity across several communities and local government areas.
He disclosed that an 8.9-kilometre bypass around Afikpo was currently under construction, with plans to dualise the section in line with the Federal Government’s long-term infrastructure development strategy.
According to him, the Federal Government is also dualising about two kilometres around Abaomoge as part of efforts to improve the town’s appearance and economic prospects.
The minister listed the planned Onueke and Ukwuachi flyovers, as well as the Offia-Nwali flyover, among other infrastructure projects designed to ease traffic and improve connectivity for the people of the area.
He particularly commended the people of the Ezza nation for their cooperation with the projects, describing the ongoing infrastructure development as evidence of the Federal Government’s commitment to the area.
Umahi also commended the Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, for paying compensation to property owners affected by the Onueke flyover project.
He explained that compensation had historically posed challenges to federal road projects because of a policy that required state governments to pay affected property owners.
The minister said the Federal Government had subsequently intervened in some cases to ensure that compensation did not stall critical projects.
He disclosed that the Federal Government had paid N18 billion in compensation on a project in Lagos and was prepared to make similar interventions where necessary.
On compensation for the Ukwuachi flyover and the road linking the area to Benue State, Umahi said an initial enumeration put the requirement at about N6 billion.
He, however, directed that the figure be reviewed to ensure that adequate funds remained available for construction, promising that payment would be approved after the review.
Umahi also clarified that the Ndibe Beach-Onueke-Ezza-Ebonyi project was awarded through a competitive restricted bidding process, with Infouest emerging as the successful contractor.
He said the contractor had made significant progress since his last inspection and expressed satisfaction with the quality and pace of work.
The minister further noted that the project’s economic importance had been recognised by the ECOWAS Bank, particularly its potential to improve security, boost commerce and create thousands of direct and indirect jobs.
He urged the people of the South-East to take ownership of the development taking place in the region and to judge the Tinubu administration by the infrastructure and opportunities being delivered.
Umahi said the ongoing projects represented more than road construction, describing them as investments in economic integration, security, mobility and the future prosperity of the South-East.