..Bags Methodist Church Bishops award
By Stella Omona
Abuja
Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, has said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration has changed the development narrative in the Southeast through major investments in roads, bridges and other critical infrastructure.
Umahi stated this when Bishops and Archbishops of the Methodist Church from the Southeast, led by the Archbishop of Anambra State, Most Rev. Dr. Vincent C. E. Onoh, paid him a courtesy visit at the Federal Ministry of Works headquarters in Abuja.
The Minister acknowledged the history of marginalisation in the Southeast but urged the people of the region to recognise the infrastructure projects being undertaken by the Federal Government while continuing to demand more development.
“Yes, I agree that in the past there was so much marginalisation of the Igbo everywhere, not just the Southeast, but President Bola Tinubu has changed the narrative,” Umahi said in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Francis Nwaze.
He said the administration was implementing infrastructure projects across the country, adding that having a Minister of Works from the Southeast had created an opportunity to accelerate development in the region.
According to him, projects such as the Enugu-Port Harcourt Road, Enugu-Onitsha corridor, Enugu-Abakaliki Road, Eke-Obinagu Flyover and the Second Niger Bridge were already changing transportation and economic activities in the region.
Umahi said the reconstruction of the Enugu-Port Harcourt Road would address years of difficulties experienced by motorists, noting that travellers had previously spent several hours covering relatively short distances.
He also highlighted the rehabilitation of the First Niger Bridge, saying President Tinubu had directed immediate action after concerns were raised over its condition.
“When we heard of the First Niger Bridge, the President immediately directed that it should be shut down,” he said.
The Minister disclosed that the rehabilitation was expected to be commissioned on Wednesday, with solar lighting and CCTV surveillance incorporated into the project.
On the major highway corridor linking Calabar through Ebonyi, Benue and Enugu to Kogi and Abuja, Umahi said the first two sections, covering about 330 kilometres, had been awarded and paid for.
He said the completed corridor would significantly reduce travel time between the Southeast and Abuja.
“For those of us in Ebonyi, we can be in Abuja within four hours. What are we going to do with the plane again? Nobody will miss the plane again,” he said.
Umahi urged Nigerians to separate political sentiments from development issues, saying the scale of infrastructure investment should be recognised irrespective of political affiliations.
“Sentiments must be laid aside. We have to count our blessings,” he said.
He also appealed to the people of the Southeast to support the Tinubu administration, saying the region had not voted for the President in the numbers that it could have during the 2023 election.
“We didn’t vote for the President as we should, and he’s doing all these things for us,” he said.
The Minister further said his focus was to ensure that projects initiated under the administration were completed, declaring: “If these projects are completed, we will never be the same again.”
Umahi said he planned to tour the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory to sensitise Nigerians on ongoing infrastructure projects and their potential impact on economic development.
He explained that the Federal Government's infrastructure programme was not merely about constructing roads but creating economic corridors capable of attracting industries, generating employment, improving security and stimulating commercial activities.
“We are borrowing to put in infrastructure, and this infrastructure, it is an investment,” he said.
He also urged church leaders to assist the government in educating citizens, particularly young people, about ongoing projects and the opportunities they could create.
Responding to issues surrounding political differences, Umahi said his position was not based on personal hostility towards former Anambra State governor and Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, whom he described as a close friend.
“I am not against Peter Obi. He is my very close friend,” he said.
He argued that public funds should be deployed productively to address infrastructure needs and stimulate economic activity rather than simply being preserved without investment.
The Minister said his experience in business and public service had reinforced his belief that productive infrastructure spending could create jobs, improve connectivity and expand economic opportunities.
Earlier, Archbishop Onoh commended President Tinubu and Umahi for what he described as significant infrastructure development in the Southeast and across Nigeria.
He particularly praised the progress on the Niger Bridge, saying the project was about 90 per cent completed.
“The work on the Niger Bridge is 90% done,” Onoh said.
The Archbishop said the Methodist delegation had visited the Minister to appreciate his contribution to infrastructure development, particularly in the Southeast.
He said the church recognised Umahi's record both as a former governor of Ebonyi State and as Minister of Works.
“Because the church doesn’t give traditional title, I will have given you the title of Olu Atugwu 1. Yes, your name is there. The work is there, and it’s a household name,” Onoh said.
He also announced plans for a prayer and sensitisation programme beginning in Awka and extending to Enugu, Ebonyi and Imo states, with each major gathering expected to attract more than 5,000 participants.
The Archbishop prayed for continued wisdom and strength for Umahi in the discharge of his responsibilities, while pledging the church's support for efforts aimed at promoting development and strengthening society.