ARMED FORCES FULLY BACKING THE RENEWED HOPE ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE INITIATIVES, DESCRIBE ROAD AS CRITICAL TO NATIONAL SECURITY AND AS A CATALYST FOR SUCCESSFUL MILITARY OPERATIONS AGAINST BANDITRY The Honourable Minister of Works, His Excellency Sen. Engr. Nweze David Umahi CON has been assured of the full backing of the Nigerian military in his efforts towards realizing the lofty road infrastructure objectives of the Renewed Hope administration of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, His Excellency, President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR. This assurance was conveyed by the Chief of Defence Staff, Federal Republic of Nigeria, General Christopher Gwabin Musa, OFR during a courtesy call to the Honourable Minister of Works, held at the Ministry's conference hall, Mabushi-Abuja on 16th April 2024. Speaking during the courtesy call the Defence Chief commended the glaring determination of the Honourable Minister of Works to return Nigeria's road infrastructure to the part of glory knowing the importance of road to the socio-economic transformation of the nation. He placed on record the strategic importance of road to national security and its place in achieving successful military operations against acts of banditry. He said, "We are following your activities on the internet, and we know you're almost everywhere. I want to commend you for the efforts you are putting in. We know how determined you are to ensure that our roads are back. We all know that without roads, there can be no peace. That's true for rural areas and urban areas. Roads are significant and very important to the growth of any nation. Despite all the challenges, we’ve seen how comments have been made, both professionally and unprofessionally, to your person, but you’ve been strong. I want to encourage you, sir that the Armed Forces of Nigeria is solidly behind you. We will continue to provide every necessary support that you require. We are just a phone call away. Whatever there is, that you would want us to do for you, be rest assured, we will be there, because we know the relevance and importance of having good roads in any society." The Chief of Defence Staff also appealed to the Honourable Minister to take into consideration the need for interventions on the deplorable condition of some roads in the North East where bandits are taking advantage of the poor conditions of roads in the area to defy and relegate security operations. He noted that the areas where the military were recording high casualties of both manpower and equipment, especially in Maiduguri, were the areas the bandits use Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in their attacks knowing fully well the deplorable conditions of the roads in those areas. He said, "So for us, roads are critical to our success in our operations. I want to appeal to you, whatever it is, whatever it takes, if we can fix most of these roads that we have, it will greatly assist us in carrying out our operations. Once we have good roads, the funny thing about North East, especially Borno State, will be resolutely tackled. Most of the distances are not that long." In his response, the Honourable Minister of Works thanked the Defence Chief for the wonderful work the Armed Forces are doing to rejig the security architecture and rid the nation of banditry. He particularly thanked Mr. President who is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces for the successes he has recorded in the fight against banditry in Nigeria. He said that the military deserves the cooperation, support, and solidarity of all Nigerians in their efforts and sacrifices to secure the citizenry. He decried the recent brutal killing of the military personnel in Okuama Delta State and thanked the military for their sense of maturity in the face of the needless provocation. "Let me offer my deepest condolences to you for your personnel that were brutally murdered at Okuama in Delta State while doing everything to ensure peace and security in the area. It's quite very unfortunate. Let me thank Mr. President for the maturity and thank the military led by you for the maturity. Those personnel who were killed are children of parents. They have children, and they have wives. Our hearts go out to you and their families, and we condemn that very terrible and barbaric act. We caution those who are making very unhealthy statements on the matter, as if the lives that were lost were the lives of animals" The Honourable Minister assured the Defence Chief of the preparedness of the Ministry in addressing the concerns of the military on the conditions of roads, especially in the areas of their operations in the North East. He said, "Let me appreciate your concerns over our roads, especially as it affects your programmes in North East. And let me assure you that when we get those routes and your major concerns, we are going to analyze them to know the ongoing projects among them, and then know why the projects are slow in their execution. It could be for the reason of funding. Everything has become a priority in our road sector development. We would like to analyze it and together we will take it to Mr. President, who has put the security of life and property ahead of any other thing." He further said, "I'm very sure that Mr. President, as usual, will give it the desired attention. It's not his will that any person will die for the reason of a bad road. So I'm reassured by the character and the content of Mr. President that something will be done. We have to get our designs and figures right, and together, we can do that."   ...

ROAD PROJECT DELIVERY UNDER PRESIDENT TINUBU DONE WITH INCREDIBLY LOWEST COST AND GREATEST QUALITY, AND SPEED ...Works Minister Describes The Statement Credited To The Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar On The 700km Coastal Highway As A Gross Misrepresentation Of Facts And Figures, And A Ploy To Mislead Nigerians By Darkening Counsel Without Knowledge The Honourable Minister of Works, His Excellency, Sen. Engr Nweze David Umahi, CON has expressed that despite the skyrocketed cost of materials in the construction industry caused by the dynamics of commodity price inflation and supply chain disruptions, the administration of His Excellency, President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR has remained unmatched in prudence, cost effectiveness, speedy and quality delivery of road projects.   He made this comment during his inspection visit to the on-going rehabilitation of Enugu - Port Harcourt dual carriageway section 4 (Aba - Port Harcourt) handled by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation Ltd (CCECC) on 8th April 2024.  The Honourable Minister who also visited the construction of a 23-span flyover bridge project at Eke-Obinagu Junction (NNPC Depot), along Enugu Abakaliki Road, Enugu State handled by Reinforced Global Resources Ltd, the rehabilitation work at the collapsed bridge site at the New Artisan Bridge near NNPC mega fillings station Enugu Capital City, Enugu State handled by CCECC, the rehabilitation of Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway Section 3, Enugu- Lokpanta handled by CGC, the Rehabilitation and Reconstruction of Enugu-Port Harcourt dual carriageway section 2 (Umuahia Tower-Aba Township Rail/ Road) in Abia State, handled by the Arab Contractors and the reconstruction of the dualized 15km section of the East-West road section III: (Eleme Junction- Onne Port  in Rivers State  being executed on reinforced concrete pavement like the coastal road) handled by RCC, said that the administration  of President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is committed  to a diversified and sustainable economic  future  of Nigeria, and this he is doing in the works sector through aggressive  infrastructure  development that would provide access  to  trade, tourism, industrialization and safety, especially along the local economic  corridors. While reacting to a statement credited to the former Vice President of Nigeria, His Excellency, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar on the 700 km coastal road projects, the Honourable Minister described the analysis he made on the coastal road project figures and the economic importance of the all-important coastal highway project as a gross misrepresentation of facts, and figures and a ploy to mislead Nigerians by darkening counsel without knowledge. "He doesn't understand figures. I am going to run figures for him to understand, and he will understand how prudent the administration of President Tinubu has been. He will understand how prudency is taking the centre stage in this administration. The President has once queried me on the cost of on-going projects nationwide. I had to analyse every basic rate of construction materials to arrive at our unit rates. I showed it to Mr. President. He still thinks I should bring down the cost of projects. At the same time, the contractors are crying that I am oppressing them so much by reviewing the costs of their projects downwards. They lamented that what they were getting before, they are no longer getting it now. They cried out. But when I run the figures, Nigerians will see what this present administration is doing. So, I'm not here to run the figures now. I will do that in a press conference on my visit to Lagos from 10th April 2024 to 12th April 2024.” On the economic importance of the coastal highway, he stated, "I will tell you the economic benefits of the project and how the coastal road is tying the entire country together. It's not tying just South-South and South- West. It is tying the North and South together. We are starting a project from Badagry to Sokoto, and we have a spur on this coastal route to that route and the African Trans Sahara Road that is passing from Enugu to Abakaliki to Ogoja to Cameroon which has a spur to the North". His Excellency, former Vice President Akitu Abubakar, may not know that the third section of the project is starting in Calabar by July 2024. The Honourable Minister commended the pace and quality of work on the projects he visited but harped on the need for the contractors to heed the project delivery timeline. On the progress of work at the East West Road section III, he said, "The reinforcement is very good, the concrete is very good, the speed is not very good, so they have to increase their speed. If RCC doesn't increase their pace, I will take out a portion of this road and give it to another contractor. We will not want contractors to stay on a job like this 15km dualization for two years or more." ...

PRESIDENT TINUBU PRAISES CONCERTED EFFORTS OF SOUTH-EAST LEADERS IN PEACE BUILDING AND GOVERNANCE 1.  The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR has commended the leaders of South-East for their concerted efforts in harnessing their collective experience, knowledge and relationships to advance developmental ideals, peace building and robust democratic governance in South-East. The President made this commendation during the burial ceremony of late Deaconess (Mrs) Theresa Osinachi Omoke JP, the mother of his Senior Special Assistant on Community Engagement, South East, Barr. (Mrs) Chioma Nweze, CEHF. 2.  The President, represented by the Honourable Minister of Works, His Excellency Sen Engr Nweze David Umahi. FNSE FNATE, GGCEHF, CON, particularly thanked the Governor of Ebonyi State,  His Excellency,  Rt. Hon. Bldr. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, FNIOB,  GGCEHF for  raising  the bar in the peace  and security  of the State and for deepening the cause  of development of the State and all who live in it. He said, "You have taken every challenge of Ebonyi State as the challenge of the people, and you have raised the bar in advancing the People's Charter of Needs of Ebonyi State. The President is very excited about your performances."  In his condolence message to the family of the deceased, the President described the late mother  of his SSA on Community Engagement as a woman with  exemplary virtues who made immeasurable contributions  to the advancement of the  cause of humanity, and enjoined her and the entire Omoke family to take solace in the accomplishments of her age. "I would like to condole with you and the entire  Omoke family on the death of your beloved mother, an icon and the matriarch of your family who sadly passed away on 18th of December, 2023 at the age of 75". 3.  The Honourable Minister of Works  used the opportunity  to clear the air on misrepresentations  on  media platforms  over the government  that handled the much commended  rehabilitation  of Third Mainland Bridge Lagos, which is now opened  for road users. "The Third Mainland Bridge was not done by Lagos State Government. No, it was done by the Federal Government as directed by President Ahmed Tinubu GCFR. Everything about the  funding  was entirely done by Mr. President through his Minister  of  Works." He also used the opportunity to thank the leaders and people  of South East for their support to the Renewed Hope administration of Mr. President. He said, "I want to send a message of thanks from Mr. President to the people of South East, for their support;  I want to thank the Governors and  appreciate  them for their  support, which is beyond party lines." He revealed, "In a very short moment, leaders of South East will  come together to openly, publicly, and heartily appreciate Mr. President, and let Nigerians and the world know that we stand with the Renewed Hope agenda of Mr. President. 4.  In his address  during  the event, the Governor of Ebonyi State thanked Mr. President  for his fatherly  disposition  to all the States of the federation  and his inclusive governance, which has renewed the hope of Nigerians  in actualizing  positive  trajectories in the political  and socio- economic  history  of the nation. He offered  his deep condolences  to the deceased  family  and his compassions to the cause of the family  and community who would deeply  miss her  love and charity.  While praying  for the repose of her soul, he  expressed commitment  towards immortalizing the good name she bequeathed. He said, "As government, we must do a very  significant thing  today. The State Government  will build  a befitting pavilion in this field, and that  pavilion  will be named after  the late mother of Barr. (Mrs) Chioma Nweze. The road leading  to this field will be constructed  as a mark of honour to  late Deaconess (Mrs) Theresa Osinachi Omoke JP" ...