By Douglas Okoro
Minister of Works, Sen. David Umahi, says President Bola Tinubu’s ongoing road infrastructure programme has become Nigeria’s pride.
Umahi made the remark on Friday while conducting a delegation from the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID), led by Mainouna Sidibe, on an inspection tour of ongoing federal road projects in Ebonyi.
Umahi described the administration’s legacy highway projects as transformative investments designed to unlock economic opportunities, improve connectivity and stimulate regional development across the country and beyond.
Among the projects inspected was the dualisation of the Abakaliki–Afikpo–Ndibe Beach section of the Trans-Saharan Highway, a major corridor linking Ebonyi and Cross River states through Ndibe Beach in Afikpo and extending to Benue and Kogi states.
The minister said the project formed part of Tinubu’s legacy infrastructure agenda aimed at easing transportation, promoting trade and enhancing economic integration within Nigeria and neighbouring countries.
According to him, the road corridor will serve as a strategic economic route capable of opening new opportunities for communities along the axis and strengthening cross-border economic activities with neighbouring Cameroon.
“The President is our bragging right because of the quality of roads being constructed across the country.
“On some of these projects, it is difficult to differentiate between a runway and the concrete pavement being laid.
“It is a major achievement for President Bola Tinubu because these roads are designed to stand the test of time and serve Nigerians for decades to come,” Umahi said.
He noted that the projects were conceived as investment-driven infrastructure designed to support commerce, industrial growth and regional integration.
The minister explained that the corridor followed historic trade routes used during the colonial era for the movement of agricultural produce, minerals and other commodities.
He said the current administration was reviving and modernising such strategic routes to support contemporary economic realities and national development objectives.
Umahi also said the ongoing road projects would significantly reduce travel time between the South-East and the Federal Capital Territory, thereby improving mobility and facilitating business activities.
He identified the Trans-Saharan Highway and other flagship projects, including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway, as key components of the administration’s infrastructure renewal programme.
According to him, the projects are being financed through innovative funding arrangements involving direct government contributions and support from development finance institutions.
“The four legacy projects of the President are investment-driven; the Federal Government provides part of the funding, while development partners support other components.
“The Trans-Saharan corridor connects the South-South, South-East, North-Central and ultimately the Federal Capital Territory, creating a seamless transportation network that will boost economic activities nationwide,” he said.
Speaking during the visit, Sidibe expressed satisfaction with the pace and quality of road construction projects being executed under the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
She commended the commitment of the administration to infrastructure development and pledged continued support for initiatives capable of promoting economic growth and regional integration among ECOWAS member states.
Sidibe said improved transportation infrastructure remained critical to trade facilitation, investment promotion and sustainable development across West Africa.
She reaffirmed the bank’s readiness to collaborate with member countries on projects that would enhance connectivity, create jobs and strengthen economic cooperation within the sub-region.
The inspection tour formed part of efforts by the ECOWAS Bank delegation to assess infrastructure projects with regional economic significance and explore opportunities for future partnership and investment. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)