“WE HAVE SAILED PAST EPE”: UMAHI CLARIFIES DONALD DUKE’S OPINION AS TINUBU’S LAGOS-CALABAR COASTAL SUPERHIGHWAY ADVANCES ACROSS STATES The Honourable Minister of Works, Senator Engr. David Umahi, CON, has clarified opinion arising from the opinion expressed by former Cross River State Governor, Donald Duke, that the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway would may not go beyond Epe, explaining that construction has already progressed beyond the area and is advancing steadily across several states. Speaking during an inspection of Section 4B of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway in Ondo State on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, the Minister explained that the Renewed Hope flagship infrastructure project of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is making steady progress, creating thousands of jobs, improving security and opening new opportunities for commerce, agriculture and education. Recalling Donald Duke’s opinion on the project, Umahi pointed out that the facts on the ground have now answered every doubt. “So the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is already on sail. And then so we have sail past Lagos that my brother Donald Duke talked about.” The Minister explained that construction is progressing simultaneously across several state, “We are also on sail at Ogun, 28KM, on sail at Ondo, 52KM, all by two. We are already on sail in Calabar, 27km, and the Akwa Ibom, the first section of Akwa Ibom is about 47km. Those jobs are over 60 percent done. And we are on sail in the longest section of this Lagos-Calabar, that is at Akwa Ibom, 180km by two.” Umahi emphasised that the coastal highway is not just about connecting communities but about transforming lives through employment, improved security and economic prosperity. “Roads are source of employment. We’ve counted over one thousand people within this section employed by HITECH. It is creating a lot of direct and indirect jobs. It is also solving the problem of insecurity. Because anywhere we are working, we have a lot of security people working along the corridor. We have the local people that are also helping, and they have their vigilante, they have their local security, and so it is helping. It is opening a lot of corridor for commerce, for agriculture, for education.” The Minister maintained that constructive criticism remains welcome, provided it is accompanied by practical alternatives. “So if you want to criticize us, I’ve said it, criticize us constructively and offer alternatives.” Umahi further explained that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains fully committed to delivering the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, expressing confidence that the project will be completed. “According to the words of President Bola Tinubu, he said this project will be done. With God on his side, it will be done.” The Minister urged the people of the Niger Delta to support and defend the transformational project, describing it as one that will reshape the economic future of the region. “It is up to Niger Delta people to open their mouth and defend these projects. Of course, they should defend the project. They should defend the president. They must have to vote for the president to complete this project.” Umahi maintained that opposition to the coastal highway does not reflect the interests of the Niger Delta people. “Those who are attacking the coastal highway, they don’t have love for the Niger Delta people.” The Minister described the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway as one of the most transparent and economically prudent infrastructure projects ever undertaken in the country. “And this project is the most prudent project I’ve ever seen. When the Deutsche Bank people came to finance the first section, they said that the construction was in perfection. They said the design was in perfection, but the procurement, the cost was undervalued. And that’s why when they put it in the market, it was oversubscribed by 100m US dollars. And that is our bragging right as Minister of Works.” Responding to concerns that the highway alignment was altered to benefit private estates, Umahi clarified that the route was changed solely on engineering and economic considerations. He explained that the original proposal along the coastline encountered soil deposits as deep as 50 metres, making construction technically difficult and prohibitively expensive. He further noted that the original alignment would also have required bridges across three large ocean channels measuring about 3.5 kilometres each, significantly increasing the project’s cost. He pointed out that the revised alignment followed President Tinubu’s directive to ensure that the project remained achievable without compromising quality. “This is because the president wants Ministry of Works as much as possible to see how we minimize large ocean, body waters and then rivers. So we have to navigate it in compliance to the directive of the president that this must be realized.” The Minister commended HITECH Construction Company for its professionalism, quality of work and peaceful relationship with host communities, describing the company as a dependable partner in the successful delivery of the project. “We commend very highly the doggedness of HITEC the partnership of HITEC, the good spirit, the good work, and the community friendliness. It doesn’t matter what anybody with envy and jealousy say, you are our partners.” Looking ahead, Umahi expressed confidence that President Tinubu’s infrastructure agenda will leave a lasting legacy for generations of Nigerians. “And under President Bola Tinubu, this country shall be rebuilt. Every of this road that he’s constructing, for the next hundred years, maintenance free, we will not reconstruct it.” ...

PRESIDENT TINUBU’S REFORMS ARE YIELDING RESULTS, SAYS UMAHI, AS FG FLAGS OFF 122KM KADUNA (MANDO)–BIRNIN GWARI ROAD The Honourable Minister of Works, Senator Engr. David Umahi, CON, has affirmed that the economic reforms of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, are yielding results across the country, with strategic road infrastructure driving economic growth, improving security, reducing hunger and reconnecting communities. The Minister made the statement on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, during the official flag-off of the reconstruction of the 122KM Kaduna–Birnin Gwari Road at the Afaka Mando Arena in Kaduna State. He described the project as another fulfilled promise by President Tinubu and a major step towards strengthening regional connectivity, stimulating commerce and expanding economic opportunities under the Renewed Hope Agenda. “We are using this road infrastructure to fix the economic problems we met on ground, we are using road infrastructure to fight the insecurity we met on the ground, we are using road building to fight hunger we met on the ground, we are using this road infrastructure to fight the injustices we met on ground where some state had no federal project like Plateau, Gombe, Ebonyi and even Kaduna.” Umahi emphasized that the Kaduna–Birnin Gwari Road is one of President Tinubu’s promises fulfilled, noting that the project will significantly reduce travel time between Northern Nigeria and Lagos while opening up new economic routes. “By doing this road the president is shortening the distance between the north and Lagos. This is the shortest route to Lagos State. Because by the time it gets to Birnin Gwari, it leads to Niger then it connects Kwara, Osun, Oyo, and Lagos. What more can we say this is a very important road.” The Minister also recalled the security challenges that once characterized the Abuja–Kaduna road, affirming that the reconstruction of the Abuja–Kaduna Road has changed the narrative. “I was told that before now it was a bad idea traveling from Abuja to Kaduna because of countless attacks but it is now a thing of the past since the Abuja-Kaduna road project started.” Responding to claims that the Federal Government is abandoning existing roads in favour of new ones, Umahi dismissed the criticism, citing several major rehabilitation projects currently underway across the country.“People say that we are doing new roads and abandoning old roads, is this 122km a new road?… Is the Sokoto to Zamfara down to Funtua down to Zaria, is it a new road, is the Enugu to Onitsha costing the President 350 Billion, is it a new road? The road from Makurdi to 9th Mile, is it new? The Bodo Bonny road, is it new? And the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano road.” He further noted that road infrastructure remains the foundation for national development, explaining that investment in roads stimulates every sector of the economy. “When a road is built it is a catalyst. It is a GDP that grows other GDPs. When a road is built insecurity is minimized, there is an agricultural revolution. When a road is built there is an increase in commerce and education and that is what this Divine President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is doing.” Umahi also congratulated Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, for securing presidential approval for a 50-kilometre internal light rail project valued at $868 million. “Governor let me congratulate you a very big one internal light rail in Kaduna State has been approved by the President, it is a 50km light rail worth $868 million. This is a big one, you’re a goal getter.” Calling for responsible democratic engagement, the Minister urged critics of the administration to offer constructive criticism that will help government improve service delivery. “Democracy is by choice, the people criticizing us should be constructive, it should not be insulting, deceitful, or saying mundane things. I can testify that when you criticize us constructively we have always gone to attend to such.” President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, was represented at the ceremony by the Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Uba Sani, who reaffirmed the President’s commitment to the people of Birnin Gwari. Governor Sani recalled that before becoming President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu visited Birnin Gwari despite the severe security challenges in the area and promised to reconstruct the Kaduna–Birnin Gwari Road and restore lasting peace to the community. He noted that the flag-off of the project is a clear demonstration that the President keeps his promises. Commending President Tinubu, Governor Sani explained that no previous administration has shown the level of commitment to Northern Nigeria demonstrated by the current President.“No President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has done what President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has done for us here in Northern Nigeria and I challenge everyone to come up with anything contrary to what I am saying. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has done a lot for us. We thank him for the love for the North, for the love for humanity, for the love for progress.” Also speaking, the Emir of Birnin Gwari, His Royal Highness Alhaji (Dr.) Zubairu Jibril Maigwari II, commended President Tinubu and the governors of the affected states for the significant gains recorded in the fight against insecurity, noting that farmers have returned to their farms after years of fear and displacement. ...

PRESIDENT TINUBU CONGRATULATES ENGINEER DAVID UMAHI ON HIS BIRTHDAY   President Bola Tinubu heartily congratulates Engineer David Umahi, Minister of Works, on his birthday on July 25.   Before he was appointed Minister of Works, Engineer Umahi served as the Senator representing Ebonyi South District. He was also a two-term Governor of Ebonyi State from May 2015 to May 2023, during which the state recorded landmark infrastructural development.   Recognising the Minister's sustained efforts in delivering durable road infrastructure, President Tinubu commends Engineer Umahi for his passion, dedication to duty, and deep sense of patriotism.   The President urges the Minister to accelerate road construction, rehabilitation, and delivery, in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda’s objective of improving citizens’ quality of life and boosting economic activity.   “Engineer Umahi has been one of my outstanding, hardworking ministers—passionate about the job and delivering durable roads and bridges that will last for about a century.   “As a minister, he does not just sit in his office or rely on reports from subordinates; he is constantly on the road, personally monitoring construction work nationwide to ensure compliance with specifications and approvals,” President Tinubu notes.   President Tinubu celebrates with the minister and his family and wishes him good health and renewed strength as he continues to serve the nation.   ...