Good morning, everyone! It’s Monday, August 04, 2025, and the buzz around the nation’s infrastructure is heating up. Today, we’re diving into a response from the Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, regarding the progress being made on infrastructural development in the South-East region.
Responding to recent chatter online – specifically, a post that suggested the South-East was being overlooked in the current administration’s infrastructure plans – Minister Umahi set the record straight. He countered the claim by highlighting the significant work being done under President Bola Tinubu, specifically regarding roads, bridges, and overall infrastructural improvements.
The Minister was particularly critical of those he felt were deliberately misrepresenting the situation, aiming to “deceive unsuspecting members of the public” for political gain. He emphasized that President Tinubu is committed to a fair distribution of infrastructure across the nation, working to unite Nigerians and give them renewed hope.
To illustrate the scope of the work, Minister Umahi shared that he’s directed regional directors to compile a comprehensive list of all ongoing and newly-started projects across the country. This move aims to showcase the significant investment the current administration is making, regardless of where people cast their votes.
He then turned to the specific concerns about the South-East, pointing to the President’s four Legacy Projects, all spanning the six geo-political zones. The third Legacy Project includes a substantial undertaking that runs through the South-East, connecting Cross River, Ebonyi, Benue, Kogi, Nasarawa, and Abuja. This project, valued at ₦445.8 billion, encompasses 465km x 2 of road, with the South-East portion comprising 231.64km x 2. The Minister confirmed that ₦108 billion has already been paid out for this project and that recent adjustments were made to the project scope during the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on July 31, 2025.
Umahi continued by addressing the specific criticism, pointing out how misleading some of the reports were about the project. He chose to call out the misrepresentation of the Tran Sahara Section 1 project from Ebonyi State to the Benue border.
And the most compelling part of the Minister’s response? He revealed that the current administration has been actively addressing the backlog of unfinished projects in the South-East. Specifically, he stated that a whopping 90% of abandoned projects, some dating back to 2013, have been revived and are now actively underway.
Umahi also provided further examples of ongoing projects, including:
The 2nd Niger Bridge access road 2A in Delta State (valued at ₦146 billion) and 2B in Anambra State (valued at ₦176 billion). The Enugu–Onitsha road – 208km (MTN Tax Credit, valued at ₦202 billion, with CBC completing the remaining section at ₦150 billion, of which ₦45 billion was released last week).
So, the picture painted by the Minister of Works is one of significant progress and a strong commitment to infrastructure development in the South-East. It’s a story of revival, renewed investment, and a push to bring long-awaited projects to completion.
