


DRIVING NIGERIA’S FUTURE: CELEBRATING TWO YEARS OF TRANSFORMATIVE LEADERSHIP AND THE LAGOS-CALABAR COASTAL HIGHWAY MILESTONE In a historic ceremony marking the successful completion of two years in office by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, the Federal Government officially commissioned the completed 30-kilometre portion of the 40.7- kilometre Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, Phase 1, Section I and several others, as well as flagged off the construction of new roads, in the Southern region, symbolically. The event, which was held in Lagos on Saturday, 31st May 2025, was performed by His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR. It brought together eminent government officials including; the President of the Senate, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, GCON, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Sen. George Akume the Governors of Lagos, Ogun, Borno, Imo, Bayelsa, Kogi and Edo States, Captains of Industry, Contractors, Traditional Rulers and other Stakeholders Honourable Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, CON, FNSE, FNATE; the Minister of State for Works, Bello M. Goronyo, Esq; Governors Hope Uzodinma of Imo State and Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State; Senator Godswill Akpabio; and other distinguished guests. In his opening remarks, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR reflected on the bold strides made during his two years in office, under the Renewed Hope Agenda. He identified the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway as a flagship project that encapsulates the commitment to infrastructure development as a driver of economic transformation. Despite initial skepticism, the project has become a beacon of progress, connecting nine coastal states of Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Delta, Edo, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River. It is projected to contribute up to US$12 billion annually to Nigeria’s GDP within its first decade. The President emphasised that the project will ease transportation, reduce costs of travel and vehicle maintenance, as well as travel time, and drive growth across agriculture, industry, tourism, marine, and commerce while creating thousands of jobs and expanding opportunities for Nigerians. He described the progress as clear evidence of purposeful leadership delivering tangible results. Speaking, the Honourable Minister of Works, Sen. (Engr.) David Umahi, CON, praised the scope and significance of the project, describing the highway as a game-changer that not only connects nine littoral states but also unlocks vital trade and industrial corridors. He echoed the anticipated economic impact, reaffirming that the project will reduce transportation costs, shorten travel times, stimulate local economies, and create extensive employment opportunities for Nigerians. He appreciated the President for the vision and leadership, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for its consideration and approval and the Minister of Finance for providing the counterpart funding. The Minister of State for Works, Hon. Bello Muhammad Goronyo, Esq. reaffirmed the Federal Government’s unwavering commitment to national development through the provision of critical infrastructure. He emphasised that enhancing connectivity and fostering regional integration remain vital pillars for sustainable prosperity. Delivering a Goodwill Message, the Senate President lauded the transformative potential of the project, spotlighting the strategic partnership between the government and private sector entities such as Hitech Construction Company. He described the highway as a “backbone for economic revitalisation” that will attract investment and create new avenues for economic empowerment. Other goodwill messages echoed these sentiments and much more. Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State and the Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum, commended President Tinubu’s resilience and clarity of purpose, recognising the highway as a powerful symbol of leadership that delivers on its promise. He expressed pride in the project’s pivotal role in national development and economic progress. Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State described the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway as a legacy of visionary leadership and focused execution. He underscored its visible socio-economic impact through improved interstate connectivity and increased commercial activity, stressing that the project will significantly improve lives and economies across southern Nigeria. Earlier, in his welcome address, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Works, Engr. Funsho Adebiyi, FNSE warmly welcomed all dignitaries and expressed heartfelt gratitude to Mr. President. He celebrated the milestone as a monumental achievement, noting that the highway will benefit not only the state on its alignment but the entire nation. He also emphasised that the project stands as a symbol of unity, progress, and a shared national vision for a more prosperous future. Others completed road and bridge projects in the Southern part of the country that was symbolically commissioned by the President including; While those that were flagged off, also symbolically, included; Mohammad Abdullahi Ahmed
i. Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Phase 1, Section I (Shagamu-Ibadan) in Ogun and Oyo States,
ii. Ikorodu-Shagamu Road in Lagos and Ogun States,
iii. Lagos-Badagry Expressway (Agbara Junction - Nigeria-Benin Border in Lagos State,
iv. Dualisation of East-West Road, Section II, Subsection I, (Eleme Junction-Ahoada in Rivers State,
v. Upgrading of 15km of the East-West Road (Eleme Junction-Onne Port Junction) in Rivers State,
vi. Construction of a New Bridge to Replace the Near-Collapsed One at Akpoha in Ebonyi State,
vii. Rehabilitation of Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway, Section III (Enugu-Lokpanta) in Enugu State,
viii. Reconstructed Collapsed Bridge at New Artisan Market in Enugu on the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway and
ix. Alesi-Ugep Road (Iyamoyung-Ugep) in Cross River State.
i. Rehabilitated Ibadan-Ife-Ilesha-Akure-Benin Road in Oyo, Osun, Ondo, and Edo States,
ii. Nembe-Brass Road, Section II in Bayelsa State and
iii. Section (107 Kilometres) of the Enugu-Onitsha Dual Carriageway in Enugu and Anambra States.
Director, Press and Public Relations.
FG to Tackle Road Challenges Headlong in 2024 The Federal Government has promised to address all obstacles hindering delivery of road projects in the country to ensure actualization of the road projects to the benefit of Nigerians before the end of 2024. Work Minister, David Umahi who made the promised during his meeting with Directors in Abuja on Thursday urged them to be on their toe in working to ensure that vision for sustainable road infrastructure development in the country by the President Bola Tinubu’s administration in line with Renewed Hope Agenda is achieved. The Minister proposed a review of agreements, cost, geo-technical evaluation among others of some of the existing contracts with a view to addressing the bottlenecks that have delayed or hindered execution of road projects across the country in the past. Speaking further on the road projects, he said Mr. President approved huge, large sum of money for the Ministry in the appropriation in order for the Ministry to deliver its mandate. " " We’ve some supervisions work to be done on roads, the Directors and the Consultants must work together and any erring contractors that don’t keep to contract agreement would be penalized”. According to him, “I won’t be able to go back to Mr. President and Federal Executive Council for re-scope of work and contract if the contractors deliberately delay the progress of road construction". Reiterating his commitment to the welfare of the workers, Umahi said what matters most is how much of roads has been constructed or made motorable to ease the sufferings of Nigerians when it comes to mobility, adding that irrespective of position or social status, any worker who is found wanting in terms of performance risks being kept aside or outright replacement. The Minister told directors that there is a difference between his ministry and other ministries, departments, and agencies, MDAs, is due to the fact that the Works Ministry is measured in terms of the how much and the impact of the roads constructed. “The difference between us and other MDAs is that ours is what you can achieve in terms of roads, not speech. And our office is not the normal civil service office where you spend eight hours and close, at times you need to even work at weekend,” he assured that anyone who works would be appreciated. Umahi appealed to directors to be God fearing in handling the assignment of the ministry, while disclosed that the President had made available the needed funds for execution of road contracts, but that there was need for review of the contract terms due to previous experiences. The Minister tasked the directors and contractors on integrity, identifying bad construction method, poor supervision, substandard materials as the foremost challenges of road contract execution in Nigeria. “18 retired security personnel are to be engaged in supervision and monitoring for each of the six geopolitical zones of the country”, he said. The representative of Permanent Secretary at the Meeting, Engr O.O. Awosanya earlier thanked the Honourable Minister for creating enabling environment for staff to function well through provision of incentives and welfare, said " Since I have been in the ministry this is the first time i will be seeing a minister so dedicated to staff welfare provisions". Director Highways Southwest Engr Adedamola Kuti while responding to the minister’s remarks assured the Minister that both the staff and the consultants would work in synergy to deliver on the mandate of the Ministry. ...
Happiest Season's Greetings on this Christmas Day From H.E. Sen. Engr. Nweze David Umahi, Hon. Minister of Works 1. It is with the deepest pleasure that I express the happiest season's greetings of my family, the management and staff of the Federal Ministry of Works on this momentous occasion of the 2023 Christmas celebration, shared by Christians all over the world. We thank God Almighty for the grace and privilege to celebrate this year's Christmas season and for the hope of sharing in the prospects of a new year. 2. As we all know, Christmas is celebrated by the Christian faithfuls to commemorate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ who came to redeem all mankind and also to share the significance of love, peace, and goodwill towards all persons irrespective of creeds, colours, or cultures. We are therefore enjoined to use this moment and always to focus our thoughts and open our hearts towards the promotion of the best attitudes in our public and private lives; let us emphasize that which unites and strengthens our bonds and dreams of achieving a prosperous nation which God, through the instrumentality of the Renewed Hope administration of the President of Nigeria, His Excellency Sen. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR is anchoring to the glory of His Holy Name. Mr. President’s administration is committed to achieving a loving, prosperous, and united nation. Road infrastructure is among the critical sectors that are receiving the priority attention of Mr. President, and this is hoped to assist in fully unlocking the economic potentials of our dear nation and the well-being of all her inhabitants. 3. Let us, therefore, see this season as a moment of reflection on the need for concerted efforts and renewed vigor in our collective hope of building a nation of boundless possibilities. May God continue to strengthen our confidence in the hope of a better future and grant us greater years of Renewed Hope accomplishments. Merry Christmas, and please accept the assurances of the esteemed regards and best wishes of my family, the management and staff of the Federal Ministry of Works, this season, and always. H. E Sen. Engr. Nweze David Umahi, FNSE FNATE CON GGCEHF Hon. Minister of Works ...
Minister of Works Sen Umahi Inaugurates Board of Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (Ferma) Charges Members to Brace Up to the Road Infrastructure Maintenance Challenges in Nigeria The Honourable Minister of Works, His Excellency, Sen. Engr. Nweze David Umahi CON has charged the newly inaugurated members of Governing Board of Federal Roads Maintenance Agency ( FERMA) to brace up to the challenges of road infrastructure maintenance facing the country and show unwavering commitment to the road maintenance programmes of the Renewed Hope administration of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Sen. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR The Hon. Minister gave this charge during the inauguration of the FERMA Governing Board at the Conference Room, Federal Ministry of Works, Headquarters. Mabushi, Abuja on 21st December 2023. The Hon Minister thanked the President of Nigeria for appointing men of proven integrity and ability into the FERMA Board and for approving the 2023 Supplementary Budget which provides landmark interventions on the Federal roads. He said road infrastructure was critical to the socio-economic development of our nation noting that the critical sectors that drive economic growth rely greatly on road infrastructure development. "Let me first congratulate the nominees of Mr. President to the FERMA board and to express my gratitude deeply to Mr. President who has found you worthy to do this job. We have a very critical situation with our roads all over the country. and for me, the number one thing Nigerians needed like yesterday is road. Road is everything. If we fix our roads today, we will bring down inflation in this country, because bad road is affecting every aspect of our economic activities. He maintained that the enhanced budgetary provision for road infrastructure under our dear President shows his commitment in changing the narrative of our road infrastructure. "This underscores the fact that Mr. President understands the plight of our people as far as our road infrastructure is concerned, he's doing everything within the budget and outside the budget to fix our roads. And I want to assure Nigerians on behalf of Mr. President that our hopes are renewed in tackling our road infrastructure decays.” It would be recalled that by section 3 of the Federal Road Maintenance Agency, (FERMA) Amendment Act 2007, the President had on 13th October, 2023 approved the appointment of the following members of the Governing Board of FERMA and they had been confirmed by the Senate: Engr. Dr. Chukwuemeka Chijioke Agbasi - Managing Director Engr. lbi Terna Manasseh - Member Dr. Kenneth Ugbala - Member Sen. Timothy Aduda - Member Babatunde Daramola - Member Hon. Preye Oseke Member Aminu Adamu Papa - Member Engr. Abubakar Bappa - Member ACM Shehu Mohammed - Member Yusuf Lawal Othman – Member Earlier the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Works, Mahmuda Mamman described the newly appointed members of FERMA board as people of proven competence and experience and expressed hope that they would perform in their new assignment. In his acceptance speech on behalf of the newly constituted board, the Managing Director of FERMA Engr. Dr. Chukwuemeka Chijioke Agbasi thanked the President for finding them worthy to be appointed as board members of FERMA and pledged to discharge their responsibilities with the fear of God and align to the policy of the Federal Minister of Works and also to the mandate of FERMA. He expressed the commitment of FERMA towards making a visible difference on the road condition and the travel experience of commuters in the country. ...
2023 Elections: Fashola Distances Self from The Antics of Unsolicited Support Groups
The Media Office of the Hon. Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN, has urged well-meaning people to disregard the invitation of some Groups, operating under The Nigeria Project 2023, purportedly to the inauguration of a Support Group for the Minister and the Governor of Borno State over the 2023 elections.
The social media was awash at the weekend with a poster from the Group allegedly presenting the Honorable Minister and the Governor of Borno State, Prof. Babagana Zulum as Presidential and Vice-Presidential candidates respectively of an unnamed political party.
Ordinarily, the poster and the various social media reports almost instantly orchestrated on its account would have been ignored as the handwork of mischief makers. However, it became necessary to issue this disclaimer for two key reasons.
The first of such was to answer with a strong negative to the numerous inquiries from right thinking and well-meaning Nigerians on whether the Honorable Minister had been contacted or if the Groups had his consent in issuing the invitation.
Without equivocation, no individual or Group has contacted the Honorable Minister for or on behalf of The Nigeria Project 2023. As Honorable Minister, Mr Fashola is currently focused on leading his dedicated Team in the Ministry of Works and Housing to deliver on the mandate of President Muhammadu Buhari for an expanded and upgraded road transport infrastructure; and affordable Housing nationwide in order to achieve economic growth and prosperity for the citizenry.
Secondly, is the fact that entities unknown to a political party cannot present candidates on behalf of such a political party. As a ranking and loyal member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the individual and groups cited as promoters of The Nigeria Project 2023 are unknown to the APC and the Honorable Minister.
Against the backdrop of the foregoing, the Honorable Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola SAN urges members of the public to be wary of the antics of unsolicited individuals and Support Groups whose real intentions remain questionable. Every support possible should be given to the efforts of the current administration under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari to deliver a better nation for all.
DPRS Council of Works Remarks
Introductory Remarks by The Director Planning Research & Statistics, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Dr. Famous S. Eseduwo at the On-going 25th Meeting of The National Council on Works at Calabar on Monday, 25th November, 2019.
PROTOCOL
I am delighted, on behalf of the Organizing Committee, to welcome you to the 25th Meeting of the National Council on Works with the theme: “INFRASTRUCTURE AS THE PARHWAY FOR PROSPERITY”, holding here in Calabar, Cross River State from today, Monday 25th to Thursday 29th November, 2019.
2. I wish to express our profound gratitude to the Honourable Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, the Honourable Minister of State Engr. Abubakar D. Aliyu FNSE, the Permanent Secretary Mohammed Bukar, the Directors and entire staff of the Ministry for their support in organizing this meeting.
3. As you are aware, the Meeting of the National Council of Works is an annual event and the highest policy formulating organ of the Works sector where stakeholders in the Works sector deliberate on issues concerning the Sector.
4. It is important to highlight that the council meeting is signaled by a two day technical meeting of Directors and the Permanent Secretaries Meeting. Our responsibility is to create a solid and resourceful foundation by diligently reviewing the memoranda submitted and fine-turning the recommendations for presentation to Council through the Meeting of Permanent Secretaries.
5. I urge all Directors present to own up to the process and show the right attitude and commitment towards heralding a successful Council Meeting.
6. At this juncture, I will like to assure you that all necessary arrangements have been put in place by the Ministerial Organizing Committee (MOC) and the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) to ensure the success of this year’s Council Meeting. The secretariat is available for any possible assistance.
7. Once again, I welcome you to the 2-day brainstorming session preceding this year’s National Council Meeting on Works and also wish you all a fruitful deliberation.
Thank you.
DRIVING NIGERIA’S FUTURE: CELEBRATING TWO YEARS OF TRANSFORMATIVE LEADERSHIP AND THE LAGOS-CALABAR COASTAL HIGHWAY MILESTONE
DRIVING NIGERIA’S FUTURE: CELEBRATING TWO YEARS OF TRANSFORMATIVE LEADERSHIP AND THE LAGOS-CALABAR COASTAL HIGHWAY MILESTONE
MID -TERM REVIEW MEETING ON THE IMPLIMENTATION OF THE DECISIONS REACHED AT THE 29TH NATIONAL COUNCIL ON WORKS (NCW) DAY 1
MID -TERM REVIEW MEETING ON THE IMPLIMENTATION OF THE DECISIONS REACHED AT THE 29TH NATIONAL COUNCIL ON WORKS (NCW) DAY 1