UMAHI CALLS FOR UNITY, HOPE AS HE EXTENDS EASTER GREETINGS TO CHRISTIANS The Honourable Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, has extended warm Easter greetings to Christian faithful across Nigeria, calling for renewed hope, unity, and collective commitment to nation-building. In his Easter message, the Minister described the season as a sacred period that symbolizes the enduring values of sacrifice, renewal, and the triumph of light over darkness. He noted that the resurrection of Jesus Christ remains a powerful symbol of faith, new beginnings, and hope, especially in challenging times. “At this point in our national journey, these values matter deeply,” he stated, urging Nigerians to embrace unity over division, love over apathy, and faith over fear. The Minister encouraged citizens to remain steadfast, support one another, and work together towards building a nation that symbolizes shared aspirations for peace, progress, and prosperity. He concluded by wishing all Christian faithful a joyful Easter celebration, praying that the spirit of the season brings peace, renewed strength, and a brighter future for the nation.   ...

UMAHI DECLARES AN END TO YEARS OF DEADLY TRAPS AND GRIDLOCK ON THE ENUGU–ONITSHA EXPRESSWAY, SETS MARCH 31 DEADLINE FOR REOPENING The Honourable Minister of Works, Senator Engr. David Umahi, CON has declared that the long-troubled Enugu–Onitsha Expressway is fast shedding its grim past, as the Federal Government intensifies a sweeping infrastructure upgrade across the South-East under the President, His Excellency, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.  Umahi made the declaration on Monday, March 23, 2026, during an inspection of ongoing projects in Enugu, including the Enugu–Onitsha Expressway and the Eke-Obinagu Flyover, where he expressed confidence that the era of consistent fatal accidents, endless traffic, and public frustration along the road is coming to an end. “I’m going round the six geopolitical zones assessing what is possibly to be commissioned before May 29th by Mr President. There are mega project that the President will be available for before May 29th and we mean it,” the Minister said. Once regarded as one of the most dangerous highways in the region, the Enugu–Onitsha road had for years been plagued by tanker explosions, loss of lives, and economic disruptions. But Umahi said decisive intervention by the Tinubu administration has changed the trajectory. “Now this route, the Enugu-Onitsha expressway, you recall that when we came on board, everyday, people were talking about this road. There were a lot of tanker accidents, a lot of people died and so forth. But my joy is that the whole thing is a past story, because the President has swinged into action,” he stated. The Minister disclosed that the dual carriageway, which spans 107 kilometres on each side, is undergoing a major structural shift, with a significant portion being converted from asphalt to concrete to ensure durability. “It is not only that we are repairing this road… about half of it is going on to be concrete. I have no confidence in asphalt I continue to say it. By the time the asphalt fail we will have 50 percent of the road still intact and if it fails within the second tenure of the president then be rest assured that we will fix it,” he said. He added that the same approach is being extended to sections in Anambra State, including the head bridge axis, where an initial asphalt design is being replaced with concrete pavement to align with modern highway standards. “At the head Bridge we have 39k, we’re changing that to concrete so that we can have this coastal road type of road pavement there in Anambra and here in Enugu,”. Beyond reconstruction, the project is also being enhanced with solar-powered street lighting and environmental features aimed at improving safety and sustainability. “So that is going to happen but then not only that. We are putting solar light both for the one that was constructed before us and the one that is being done by us. Within the first one week we will have solar light up to this 1km and we continue we are also going to plant trees which is very important,” he added. The Minister urged the people of the South-East to recognise the level of federal intervention in the region, noting that such attention to infrastructure was previously lacking. “The people of South East have to be very grateful to Mr President. The reason is that we never had it like this. I was governor for 8 years and I can’t think of any Federal road project in Ebonyi State,” he said. He also cautioned against divisive narratives, warning that some actors were misleading the public for selfish interests. “I want to ask our people to be very very careful, there are people that pretend that they are helping us but they actually inciting us against government… we need to know when people are genuinely interested in our case,” he said. Calling for sustained support for President Tinubu, Umahi described the ongoing works as part of a broader effort to correct past neglect and integrate the South-East more fully into national development. “Let us allow this man that have started to right the wrong metted on us as the people of Southeast in the past. Let us allow him the next four years and we will be very much fully integrated,” he stated, adding, “To know the revolution that is going on in infrastructure… this is the Biafra we are looking for.” As a major milestone, the Minister directed that the Enugu–Onitsha Expressway be reopened for public use on or before March 31.  “I have given the controller the authority, by the 31st or before, he should call the press to open this road, call the people of South East… let them know that this road is open for travel and that will be our Easter celebration,”. Addressing concerns over project costs, Umahi clarified that the Ministry of Works does not unilaterally determine project pricing, noting that approvals pass through multiple regulatory layers, including the Bureau of Public Procurement and the Federal Executive Council. “I’m not the final authority when it comes to the cost of a project, there are layers of approval, the Bureau of Public Procurement, their own stands and not my own,” he explained. He maintained that the standard being applied to the Enugu–Onitsha project is consistent with major road projects across the country. “The same road architecture as the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway and the Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway… so no discrimination with the president, everybody is the same,” Umahi said.   ...

UMAHI RAISES ALARM OVER MISUSE OF ROADS, WARNS AGAINST PARKING OF TANKS, OTHER HEAVY-DUTY VEHICLES    -As young engineers set to understudy the project under the President’s mentorship program The Honourable Minister of Works, Senator Engr. David Umahi, CON has raised serious concern over the damaging practice of parking fuel tankers and other heavy-duty vehicles on newly constructed roads, warning that such actions pose direct threat to the durability and lifespan of critical national infrastructure. The Minister made this known during an inspection of the Aleto Bridge project, Rivers State on Saturday, March 21, 2026. “Yesterday I was passing through this road, the entire road we have completed was totally blocked… not by moving vehicles but fuel tankers, they parked on the road.” He emphasized that no road infrastructure is designed to withstand prolonged static loading from heavy vehicles. “No road project anywhere in the world is designed for static loads, they will destroy the road.” With the total project cost exceeding ₦230 billion ₦156 billion for phase one and ₦83 billion for phase two the Minister stressed that such investments must be protected. “Is that what we should fold our hands and allow it to be destroyed?” The Minister expressed satisfaction with the pace and quality of work being delivered by the contractor, RCC, while also commending President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR for his decisive intervention in sustaining the project. “I want to thank RCC very highly and commend Mr President for his heart of love toward the Niger Delta,” the Minister stated. He explained that although funding by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited ceased in August 2025, the President promptly approved an alternative funding mechanism, ensuring that work continued uninterrupted. “We are not owing RCC on this project… it is a very, very highly skilled and technical project and I’m very happy with the quality of work.” The Minister described the Aleto Bridge Project as a landmark engineering effort, incorporating modern concrete pavement technology, solar-powered lighting, environmental landscaping, and reinforced structural features. In line with the Federal Government’s commitment to human capital development, the Minister disclosed plans to integrate young Nigerian engineers into the project through a mentorship programme championed by President Tinubu. “We are making efforts on President Tinubu mentorship programme where young engineers will come and study what we’re doing here. They are our future leaders and it is a technical project to behold.” Providing an update on timelines, the Minister noted that one carriageway of the project is expected to be completed before May 25, 2026, with the first phase projected for full completion by August 2026. “They have promised me that before May 25th that one carriageway of this very innovative construction will be completed and before August the first phase of this project would have been totally completed.” He further expressed confidence that the second phase, which includes multiple flyovers and bridges, will be delivered within the year. The Minister also highlighted the strategic redesign of the project from asphalt to concrete pavement, a decision directed by the President to ensure long-term durability. “We inherited this project from zero ground. It was the President that directed that we should redesign using concrete and then you can see the result.” The Honourable Minister concluded by calling on Nigerians, particularly road users and transport operators, to take collective responsibility in safeguarding public infrastructure. “Let us protect our own. The minister cannot be here and everywhere. The road is being done and it’s been perfectly done but we have a duty to protect it.”   ...