Umahi Says Tinubu Reviving Colonial-Era South-East Road Projects

Works minister David Umahi says long-abandoned regional road projects in South-East are now being executed under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, has said several major road projects conceived during the colonial era but abandoned for decades are now being actualised under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Umahi stated this in Ebonyi State while conducting senior journalists and government officials on an inspection tour of ongoing federal infrastructure projects across the South-East.

The minister specifically highlighted the Calabar-Ebonyi-Benue Trans-Saharan Superhighway, describing it as a strategic project that would transform economic activities across the South-East, South-South and parts of the North-Central region.

According to him, the project represents a long-forgotten colonial vision that is finally being implemented.

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

He disclosed that Section One of the project, originally designed as a 118-kilometre stretch, has been extended to 123.6 kilometres with a contract value of N45 billion, while dualisation works are progressing.

Umahi further revealed that Section Two, stretching from the Aboadi border through Benue and Kogi states to Nasarawa State, has been awarded at a cost of N668 billion.

He said some sections of the project have attained about 28 per cent completion despite the rainy season, attributing the progress to the adoption of concrete pavement technology.

The minister described the highway as an economic corridor that would facilitate trade in agricultural commodities such as cassava, yam, cashew and palm oil while enhancing connectivity between Nigeria and neighbouring Cameroon.

According to him, the concrete road technology being deployed nationwide was first pioneered by President Tinubu during his tenure as Governor of Lagos State.

Umahi also expressed appreciation to the President on behalf of the South-East, saying the region was now benefiting from greater inclusiveness in federal infrastructure development.

“All our forefathers sought—inclusiveness—we have it now,” he stated.

During the inspection tour, the minister and members of the delegation visited key infrastructure projects, including bridges under construction along Section One of the superhighway and the concrete pavement works around Onueke in Ebonyi State.

The team also inspected the 1.3-kilometre Ndi-Egbe Bridge in Afikpo Local Government Area, which links Ebonyi and Cross River states and is expected to be completed by December 2026.

Umahi said the Onueke Flyover, valued at N35 billion, was designed to ease traffic congestion in the state’s central senatorial district.

The delegation equally visited the completed concrete link road connecting communities in Ebonyi and Cross River states.

Meanwhile, Governor Francis Nwifuru commended Tinubu for his commitment to infrastructure development in the South-East and for supporting developmental projects in Ebonyi State.

The governor also declared that Ebonyi remains one of the safest states in the country, claiming there had been no reported kidnapping incident since he assumed office.

Nwifuru highlighted ongoing investments in rural roads, healthcare facilities and water projects across the state.

He said contractors remained active across all local government areas, implementing projects aimed at improving living standards and expanding access to critical infrastructure.

Umahi also disclosed that South-East governors and political leaders would converge in Abakaliki on Monday for a rally expected to endorse President Tinubu for a second term in office.

The media tour was organised by the Hope Uzodimma-led Renewed Hope Ambassadors in collaboration with the Presidential Media Team.