The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has announced that the federal government is reviving several critical road infrastructure projects in the South East that were conceptualized during the colonial era but remained stagnant for decades.
Speaking in Ebonyi State while leading a federal media delegation on an inspection of ongoing projects, Umahi credited President Bola Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope Agenda” for bringing these long-dormant infrastructure dreams to life.
A central focus of the tour was the Calabar-Ebonyi-Benue Trans-Saharan Superhighway, a strategic artery intended to bridge the South East, South South, and North Central regions.
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Umahi described the project as a vital investment corridor that will significantly boost the trade of agricultural produce—including yams, cassava, cashews, and palm oil—while establishing a direct commercial link between Nigeria and Cameroon.
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The minister provided an update on the project’s progress, stating that work is currently ongoing on section one of the highway.
He explained that the section is being dualised and that its length was increased from 118 kilometres to 123.6 kilometres, with the contract valued at ₦45 billion.
He further disclosed that section two, which stretches from the Aboadi border through Benue and Kogi states to Nasarawa State, has already been awarded at a contract sum of ₦668 billion.
Umahi noted that despite the rainy season, work is proceeding at an accelerated pace, with several areas reaching 28% completion.
This progress, he explained, is largely due to the administration’s strategic shift toward the use of concrete road technology—a construction method pioneered by Tinubu during his tenure as Lagos State Governor and now being deployed nationwide to ensure durability.
The inspection tour included critical bridges and flyovers, such as the 1.3-kilometer Ndi-Egbe Bridge in Afikpo, slated for completion by December 2026, and the ₦35 billion Onueke Flyover, designed to significantly decongest highway traffic in the Central Senatorial District.
During the delegation’s visit to Abakaliki, Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru praised the President’s commitment to regional infrastructure.
Governor Nwifuru asserted that Ebonyi currently stands as the safest state in Nigeria, noting that his administration has recorded zero kidnapping cases since taking office.
He added that the state remains a hive of activity with road, health, and water projects spread across every local government area.
The federal media tour, organized by the “Renewed Hope Ambassadors” led by Governor Hope Uzodimma in collaboration with the Presidential Media Team, aims to highlight the administration’s development footprint across the country.
As a culmination of these regional efforts, South East governors and political leaders are set to gather in Abakaliki this Monday for a major rally.
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Umahi confirmed that the event will serve as a platform for regional stakeholders to endorse Tinubu for a second term in office, characterizing it as a gesture of gratitude from the South East for the current administration’s inclusive governance and national renewal program.
From Ebonyi, the high-level federal delegation, which includes Special Advisers to the President Bayo Onanuga and Sunday Dare, is scheduled to move through Enugu, Abia, Anambra, and Imo States to continue the project inspection tour.
