Umahi Rejects Claims of South-East Bias in Federal Road Projects

The Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, has firmly dismissed media allegations alleging the concentration of federal road infrastructure projects in the South-East geopolitical zone, clarifying that all ongoing projects across the nation strictly align with approvals granted by President Bola Tinubu.

Speaking during an inspection tour of the strategic Trans-Sahara Highway project, Umahi emphasised that federal road interventions are equitable, nationwide in scope, and driven by developmental necessity rather than regional favoritism.

The multi-state Trans-Sahara Highway corridor originates from Afikpo in Ebonyi State, traversing Ador in Benue State, Nsukka in Enugu State, sections of Kogi State, and terminating at the Owete Bridge connecting to the Federal Capital Territory.

To fast-track completion, the minister directed the handling contractor to immediately commence simultaneous execution across three designated sections, pledging to cross the Ador Bridge in person during his next routine inspection.

Addressing critics during the field assessment, Umahi described online claims of regional bias as baseless and unsupported by official performance records.

“They want to gag me on social media when they say I cornered all the road projects to the South-East,” Umahi stated.

“That is very wonderful. But we have publications of all ongoing projects. So, I am not acting on my own; the President is my boss. Where would he be while I supposedly corner all the projects to the South-East?”

While maintaining that the South-East zone deserves robust infrastructure interventions like every other geopolitical zone, the minister rejected assertions that the region was receiving preferential treatment at the expense of other parts of the country.

“Some people are simply dissatisfied that, for the first time, the people of the South-East are receiving their fair share of our national infrastructure,” he noted.

“I have always maintained that in terms of infrastructure development, the South-East may not rank first, second, or third, but they will definitely not be the last.”

Responding to ongoing public debates regarding government borrowing, Senator Umahi defended the administration’s approach to capital financing, asserting that acquiring targeted debt for productive, high-impact infrastructure remains economically sound when funds directly yield long-term economic returns.

Drawing a parallel to his tenure as Governor of Ebonyi State, Umahi cited the execution of the 199-kilometer Ebonyi State Ring Road project funded via a $150 million facility.

“We borrowed because we knew precisely how to deploy the funds productively,” Umahi argued.

“When people lack a clear developmental vision, they resort to saving money while critical needs persist, expecting public applause. What kind of economics is that? I do not believe in saving money or hoarding food when the people are hungry.”

He explained that delayed infrastructure investment exponentially inflates project cost burdens over time, justifying timely capital deployment for long-term fiscal efficiency.

Providing further context on the Tinubu administration’s financing strategy for signature projects, the minister revealed a hybrid capital model incorporating local and international funding sources.

“All four legacy projects, for example, have received 30 percent direct Naira funding from the Federal Government, with the remaining 70 percent secured through foreign financing structures.”

Addressing concerns regarding the condition of established transit routes, Senator Umahi denied allegations that the Ministry of Works had abandoned existing highways in pursuit of new greenfield corridors.

“When critics claim we have abandoned existing roads to construct new ones, that is completely untrue,” the minister clarified. “Our route today utilized existing roads that were strategically expanded and rehabilitated.”

Umahi urged citizens across the South-East and the broader federation to maintain support for the administration’s economic and structural reform programs to ensure the completion of major capital developments nationwide.

He pointed to key national macroeconomic indicators, including Nigeria’s foreign exchange reserves standing at approximately $55 billion, as a signal of fiscal stability supporting ongoing national development projects