Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, has said that several major road projects in the South-East, conceived during the colonial era but abandoned for decades, are now being actualised under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Speaking during a tour of federal infrastructure projects in Ebonyi State on Saturday, Umahi described the Calabar-Ebonyi-Benue Trans-Saharan Superhighway as a strategic project that would boost economic activities across the South-East, South-South and parts of the North-Central region.
According to the minister, the road project, which had remained a long-forgotten colonial-era vision, has been revived by the Tinubu administration, with construction already underway.
Umahi disclosed that Section One of the project, originally planned as 118 kilometres but later extended to 123.6 kilometres, was awarded at a cost of ₦45 billion, while dualisation works are ongoing. He added that Section Two, stretching from the Aboadi border through Benue and Kogi states to Nasarawa State, was awarded for ₦668 billion.
The minister noted that some portions of the project had attained about 28 per cent completion despite the rainy season, attributing the progress to the use of concrete pavement technology.
He said the highway would serve as an investment corridor, facilitating the movement of agricultural produce such as cassava, yams, cashews and palm oil while enhancing connectivity between Nigeria and neighbouring Cameroon.
Umahi also expressed appreciation to President Tinubu on behalf of the South-East, saying the region now enjoys a level of inclusion long sought by its leaders.
During the inspection tour, the delegation visited critical bridges along Section One of the superhighway, including the 1.3-kilometre Ndi-Egbe Bridge in Afikpo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, which links Ugep in Cross River State and is expected to be completed by December 2026.
The team also inspected the Onueke Flyover project in Ebonyi Central Senatorial District. Umahi said the ₦35 billion flyover, designed to ease traffic congestion, stands 90 metres high and is supported by a 2.2-kilometre access road on both sides.
Meanwhile, Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State said the state remains one of the safest in the country, claiming there had been no reported kidnapping incidents since he assumed office.
The governor thanked President Tinubu for ongoing infrastructure development in the South-East and highlighted several state projects, including rural roads, primary healthcare centres and water schemes.
Umahi further disclosed that South-East governors and leaders would gather in Abakaliki on Monday for a rally to endorse President Tinubu for a second term in office.
The media tour was organised by the Hope Uzodimma-led Renewed Hope Ambassadors in collaboration with the Presidential Media Team. The delegation, led by presidential aides Bayo Onanuga and Sunday Dare, is expected to continue its inspection of projects in Enugu, Abia, Anambra and Imo states.