THE federal government has opened a section of the Enugu-Onitsha expressway with a reaffirmed commitment to improve road infrastructure across the Southeast and Nigeria in general .

Minister of works Engr Dave Umahi while conducting the exercise on Thursday said the opening ,after completion of the section of the road underscores government’s acknowledgement of it’s importance to the region:

Umahi’s media assistant Francis Nwaze in a statement quoted the minister as saying: “The journey of Enugu to Onitsha was taking about seven hours before 2023. The most important road in South East is this road.”

According to the statement , the minister explained that the project, which was initially under a tax credit arrangement involving MTN Nigeria and executed by RCC, had stalled before quick intervention from the President was activated .

His words, “We inherited this road under Tax credit of MTN and executed for them by RCC but everything was on stand still until I went to plead with President Tinubu.

“The President didn’t only give acceleration to the construction of this road but he directed that atleast 50% of it must be on concrete and like that of Lagos Calabar coastal Highway.

“The project was awarded before the coming of President Tinubu with no meaningful progress made. We reviewed it and allow MTN to continue with their contract sum excluding 72KM.”

“It takes a lot of courage to do what President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is doing. The entire road is being reconstructed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”

Providing updates on the current status, the Minister continued, “the first 50km of reinforced concrete pavement is about 97% completed but the President directed me to come and open the road so that the people of SouthEast will not suffer during the Easter period and that why I am here to open the first 15km of the road.”

He further outlined several ongoing and completed road projects across the Southeast:

“The third legacy project is connecting southeast to Abuja in less than 4 hours. The section of that project is going on in southeast, 123km, 455b and it’s being done in reinforced concrete pavement.”

“That is not enough, we have Afikpo-Uturu-Okigwe, 64km, it’s being reconstructed under Dangote Tax credit, 193b, concret work is ongoing.”

“The Aba Ikot Ekpene Road, 1 Carriageway is completed, the second one is being engaged.”

“Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene is 95 percent done.”

“The Umuahia – Aba being executed by Arab contractors is 99% done.”

“The Owerri-Aba road, being constructed by Arab contractors is 70% done.”

“The second Niger By Pass, 17.5km with multiple bridge and flyovers, 174b, being done by CGC, that work is ongoing, 30% being paid for.”

“The Enugu-Abakaliki, 183b, 30% fully paid, that project is ongoing.”

“You come to multiple section, Enugu to Portharcourt. First section from Enugu being done by CGC, 60km dualized, about 70% of that project is done. We have directed that the remaining project of about 64km should be done on concrete. That is being done by CGC and that is 100b.”

“You come to the Setraco section, 99% finished. You come to the Arab contractors from Umuahia to Aba, 99% finished. Infact, we have to change the section in Aba, the last lane to be on concrete.”

“You come to Aba to Portharcourt, it’s being done by CCECC, one full carriageway done, second carriageway redesigned to be done on concrete.”

“Time will fail us to say all that the President is doing in SouthEast.”

“Owerri – Onitsha, that project is ongoing by CGC.”

“You come to one of the biggest Flyover in the country at Ekeobinagu, that project is 99% done. It’s almost 1km of Flyover. You all witnesses to the quality and the beauty and it’s for the President to commission it.”

He also referenced key emergency interventions:

“Talk about the two bridges that collapsed at Artisan section of Enugu State, within 9 months, the President reconstructed them with solar light.”

On the Enugu–Onitsha expressway, he added:

“You can see this Enugu-Onitsha, it’s going to be solar light all through. That’s what’s happening in Lagos Calabar Coastal Highway, that’s what’s happening Sokoto Badagry.”

Speaking on regional development and inclusion, the Minister stated:

“When I boldly say that the Biafra we are looking for is here and that’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”

“In 2027, the people of SouthEast must be very strategic. We want these projects to be completed.”

“God already told me, you know this is David, the only man that is both Priest and king. And God has told me that President Tinubu will win again, he will win again.”

“It’s important that our people are strategic. We will not mount the seat of presidency by foul language, by mere wish, nobody will give it to us. We have to be strategic.”

“I will not stop telling the southeast, no matter who has the presidential ticket of other political parties, Southeast people must be strategic to support the president.”

On concerns about marginalization, he noted:

“The marginalization we are talking about, it’s over, for the first time, your son is Minister of Works.”

He also told leaders of the region that , “I want to plead with leaders of SouthEast, we need to be vocal in telling the people what the president is doing for us. No more marginalization.”

“We never had service chiefs before but this administration, we have two, one before and one now. So, all the marginalization we are talking about is over now. It may not be 100% but the president have just begun. And so we have to support him.”

He also referenced earlier political agreements stressing that,

“Yes, South East deserves to be president but in 2023, we gave that right, Southern president to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. We all met in Asaba, all the Southern Governors and we said it’s our turn, Emilokan, Emilokan will be over in 2031.

“My mouth will not close in telling the people of South East, in leading them, in appealing to them for us to be wise.”

“Anybody that is not supporting who you are supporting, you start attacking them, what sort of politics is that?.

“We vote for our brother in SouthWest, when it’s our turn, they will vote for us, that’s the strategy.”

He commended Tinubu on the economy and called on the region to openly back the President’s second term bid.