Minister of Works Engr. David Umahi says Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso’s claims that the North was being marginalised on road infrastructure under President Bola Tinubu is false, misleading and self-serving.
He said President Tinubu was fair to, and even favoured the North in his distribution of road projects.
Kwankwaso had said President Tinubu was developing more roads in the South than in the North.
But the minister in a statement yesterday said, He said, “I consider this statement to be a grave misleading information made intentionally to deceive our brothers and sisters in the North and pretend that he loves the North more than any other leader from the North.
“I consider the statement as one made out of desperation and as part of his struggle, along with a few others who believe that they can inherit the impeccable legacy of our dear late president Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, and that the only way available for them towards achieving the same is to be divisive and pretentious.
“Trying to be like our late president Buhari cannot be a job of three decades and cannot be done with deceit. I think our younger generation has such a chance and it must be worked for through hard work, honesty, transparency, and commitment to the unity of our country, a legacy that our late president Buhari, GCFR achieved in all his life on earth,”
He explained that the four legacy road projects of President Bola Tinubu, namely; Lagos -Calabar coastal highway,Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway,Trans Sahara road spanning through Cross River – Ebonyi – Benue – Kogi – Nasarawa – Abuja and the Akwanga – Jos – Bauchi – Gombe road cut across all geopolitical zones of the country contrary to Kwankwaso’s claims.
“The facts are there. I wonder why people don’t talk about other legacy projects of Mr. President but will always dwell on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway. This road has only 220 km by 3 lanes in Lagos State which is ongoing now, Cross River and Akwa Ibom states have 130km by 3 ongoing lanes, whereas Kebbi state, alone, has 316 km by 3 lanes that is ongoing. Sokoto state has 240 km with 3 lanes that is ongoing. I think Sen. Kwankwaso is not fair to Mr.President and the unity of our country,”
He outlined major projects being executed in the northern part of the country including the Sokoto – Gusau – Funtua – Zaria road in Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina, and Kaduna states: This is 275 km dualised (750 km), costing about ₦824 billion. This project is being handled by CBC, Triacta, Setraco, and Mothercat.
Projects are ongoing mostly on reinforced concrete pavement. Despite the insecurity within this corridor, work is ongoing.
Abuja – Kaduna – Kano road: 350 km dualized (700km) project is being constructed on concrete pavement with a total sum of ₦764 billion by Infiouest (Nig.) Ltd. with 30% of the contract sum already paid and work is ongoing.
BUA Tax Credit road passing through Jigawa, Katsina, and Kano States: 256 km dualized (512 km). The project was redesigned and constructed on rigid pavement.
“156 km of Zaria – Hunkuyi road is being constructed by Mothercat (Nig,) Ltd.
e) The Kano Northern Bypass: 49 km is being constructed by CCECC.
f) The 100.9 km dualised (201.8 km) Kano – Jigawa states’ section of the Kano – Maiduguri road is being constructed by Triacta (Nig.) Limited.
g) The Bama and Dikwa roads (49+51=100 km) by Dangote Tax Credit are ongoing in Borno State.
h) Section V of the Kano – Maiduguri Dualisation, Damaturu – Maiduguri in Borno and Yobe states: 110 km by 2 lanes is being constructed by CCECC (Nig.) Ltd.
i) The 76 km Malando road in Kebbi State is being constructed by Episolyn (Nig.) Ltd.
j) The 250 km dualised (500 km) Benue to 9th Mile road costing $958 million by China Harbour is ongoing.
k) The Dualisation of Lokoja – Okene 86km dualised (172km) by CGC is ongoing.
l) Sections 1 and 2 of the Kaduna to Katsina roads by CCECC costing about ₦150 billion are ongoing.
6. Major ongoing projects in the South:
a) Completion of Lagos – Ibadan 8.5 km costing ₦33 Billion by RCC.
b) Completion of Lagos to Sagamu 12 km dualised (24 km) and flyovers by CBC.
c) Completion of Oyo – Ogbomoso – Ilorin Road costing ₦146 billion by JRB.
d) Repairs of Carter, Third Mainland, and Eko Bridges with a total contract sum of about ₦120 billion.
e) In the South East, we have:
i. Completion of Enugu – Onitsha road by MTN tax credit which is 107 km costing ₦202 billion.
ii. Completion of Enugu – Onitsha road by CBC, which is 72 km and costing ₦150 billion.
iii. 36-km Enugu – Abakaliki road with reinforced concrete by Global Resources (Nig.) Limited.
iv) 2nd Niger Bridge access road in Anambra State, 17.5 km (dualised) with many bridges and flyovers – ₦175Billion by CGC. Vii ) Completion of 61km (dualised) of the Lokpanta in Imo state to Enugu state by CGC, costing 100bn.
f.) In the South – South:
i. Completion of Eleme-Onne road project, which is 30 km with bridges and flyovers, costing ₦156 billion.
ii. Construction of Eket Bypass, which is 9.7 km, dualised, costing ₦76 billion.
iii. Completion of East West Road, Section 2 at ₦186 Billion by Setraco
iv. Nembe – Brass road costing ₦150 billion.
v) Completion of the Dualisation of Lokoja – Benin road by four contractors costing about ₦167 billion
vi) 2nd Niger Bridge access road in Delta state, which is 17 km, dualised by CCECC, costing ₦146 billion.
Vii) Completion of Bodo Bonny Road in Rivers state: 35 km with 12 bridges by Julius Berger (Nig.) PLC, costing 200 billion”.
Umahi while pledging to publish all inherited projects and new projects that are either completed or ongoing under the Renewed Hope Administration said President Tinubu is a fair in distribution of development projects.
“He has favoured the North in road development more than the South, especially the North West, where Sen. Kwankwaso comes from. Apart from the four legacy projects, 80% of the above-named ongoing projects were projects awarded by the past administration towards the end of that administration in 2023 but never took off effectively, which President Tinubu decided to continue to fund towards completion. If he had abandoned them, the same people would complain.
“ I have been under pressure from some stakeholders for the construction of their major roads like the abandoned Ibadan – Oyo by Arab Contractors, Ibadan – Ile Ife – Ilesa, Ilesa – Akure – Benin, and Ore – Sagamu roads. I have been badly accused that I am only doing projects in the North, especially the North West. The Third Mainland Bridge is being closed down to heavy trucks because of underwater structural defects. The Carter Bridge is so deformed that it needs to be demolished and reconstructed. These are the real major projects in the South West, which I have been appealing to Mr President to give me money to do because the people of the South West may think that I am doing nothing about the major projects in their zone. These projects are within a major economic corridor between the South and the North that deserve attention. Moreover, these bridges, if allowed to further deteriorate, will lead to serious economic consequences for the nation. Mr President is not only fair in the completion of major inherited/new projects but they are all within the major economic corridors of our nation. I will publish all ongoing projects, which are above 20 billion naira each next week. We still have many projects within the six geopolitical zones that are not listed here. In this circumstance, I don’t know where Sen Kwankwaso got his misinformation.
“It is unfortunate that the utterances of some of our political leaders are just intended to deceive Nigerians and gain political favour instead of making statements that will unite the country and move it forward.
“I will offer more explanation on this topic and am ready to face a debate with anyone just to put the record straight,”.
He stated further that out of the ongoing inherited NNPCL Tax Credit road and bridge projects, the North has 53%, while the South has 47% out of which the South East has only 4% and the South West has a mere 5%.
“The records are with NNPCL for verification. Mr. President did not complain about the unfair distribution of these inherited projects by the past administration but has continued to fund them, as inherited.
“To my brother Senator Kwankwaso, you owe our dear President an apology and a duty to withdraw your statement using the information I have provided for the benefit of Nigerians and the unity of the nation.
“ I request the good people of Nigeria to ignore Senator Kwakwans’s misleading statement and know that President Tinubu is evenly committed to developing every part of this country with fairness, equity, and the fear of God,”
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