Magnus Aluma
The Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, has said the borrowing policy of Nigerian Government is justifiable.
Umahi made the assertion on Friday while inspecting the Ebonyi section of the Cross River-Abuja Super Highway, one of the legacy road projects of the President Bola Tinubu administration.
He explained that the federal government’s investment in infrastructure was helping to address unemployment and economic hardship, noting that thousands of Nigerians have secured direct and indirect jobs through the ongoing road projects.
The minister listed beneficiaries of the infrastructure drive to include food vendors, transporters, suppliers of sand, stone and other construction materials, as well as cement manufacturers.
Umahi urged the people of the Southeast to support President Tinubu’s re-election in 2027, saying the region is receiving unprecedented federal infrastructure projects under his administration.
He maintained that the administration has demonstrated fairness to the Southeast through strategic investments in road infrastructure, adding that no previous administration had matched the level of development currently taking place in the region.
“The ongoing projects are not only improving connectivity it is also stimulating economic activities by creating jobs and supporting businesses across the project corridors.
“My assignment is to beg, appeal and educate Nigerians on what the President is doing.
“People should know that President Tinubu means well for this country. Everything cannot be corrected in three years, but he is making very serious efforts and Nigerians should acknowledge the giant strides being recorded in different sectors,” Umahi said.
The Minister further said, “the introduction of reinforced concrete pavement is not only about durability.
“It is driving economic revolution. Cement manufacturers are recording increased turnover, making more profit and employing more Nigerians.
“Infrastructure development is creating opportunities across the country.”
On the federal government’s borrowing policy, he said, “the loans were being channelled into capital projects rather than recurrent expenditure.
“The President is not borrowing to buy vehicles or pay salaries.
:He is borrowing for infrastructure, and every nation borrows to develop critical infrastructure. These investments will serve generations to come.”
On the 2027 presidential election, Umahi said, “I urge political leaders and residents of the Southeast to embrace strategic politics.
“This is because the region alone could not determine Nigeria’s presidency.
“Our brother, Peter Obi, is contesting for the presidency of the entire country, not the presidency of the Southeast.
“The voice of the Southeast alone cannot produce a President.
“We must be strategic. We should not insult people because they hold different political opinions.
“The region should appreciate the Federal Government for projects that had placed the Southeast at the centre of national infrastructure development.”
He disclosed that Section One of the Cross River-Abuja Legacy Highway, covering about 125 kilometres, was nearing completion, with more than 30% of the alignment traversing Ebonyi communities.
According to him, contractors have been directed to employ more local workers to maximise the economic benefits accruing to host communities.
He stated that Section Two of the project, spanning about 168 kilometres through Ebonyi, Benue, Enugu and Kogi States, has also been mobilised after the Federal Government paid 30 per cent mobilisation to the contractor, adding that when completed, the highway would significantly reduce travel time between the Southeast and the Federal Capital Territory.
“If you are from Ebonyi State, you can get to Abuja in about three hours.
“That is the kind of development we are talking about. I want to assure Nigerians that all of President Tinubu’s legacy road projects would be completed.
“The administration would not abandon ongoing projects,” he emphasized.
The works minister noted that the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway is one of the success stories of President Tinubu’s administration, expressing confidence that the project would be completed by December with solar-powered streetlights, landscaping and tolling facilities, to guarantee maintenance and security.
The minister also announced immediate intervention on flood-prone sections of federal roads in Ondo State, stating that damaged drainage structures on the roads would be redesigned and reconstructed to prevent future flooding.
Umahi, who is the immediate past governor of Ebonyi State, also commended the present administration in the state, for its cooperation in land acquisition and compensation processes for the highway project, saying there had been no major challenges with property enumeration in the area.
Umahi reaffirmed his political support for President Tinubu, and appealed to the people of Ebonyi State to deliver overwhelming votes for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 presidential election.
“Ebonyi is one of the greatest beneficiaries of President Tinubu’s administration. We should continue to pray for him and support him. We are getting what we never got before, and I believe all these legacy projects will be completed under his second term,” he stressed.
He disclosed that property owners in the affected areas would start to receive their compensation after the ongoing review and certification of the enumeration exercise.
Reacting to criticisms over the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway alignment, Umahi denied allegations that the route was altered to favour private estates, and explained that the final design was informed by the engineering and geotechnical considerations.
He noted that investigations revealed deep peat soil along portions of the coastline, making the original alignment technically and economically unsustainable.
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