By Praise Chinecherem

Minister of Works, David Umahi, on Thursday commissioned completed portions of the Enugu–Onitsha Expressway, describing the development as a turning point for transportation and economic activity in Nigeria’s Southeast.

Speaking during the opening of Eke Obinagu-Emene flyover to traffic as measures to ease traffic during Easter Celebration, Umahi described Tinubu as God’s gift to the region, saying the people have no reason to complain in view of the massive development being witnessed across the zone.

The Minister who also opened the Km 15 Enugu Onitsha Expressway from Abakpa junction through Ugwu Onyeama hill to 9th mile disclosed his directive that all failed asphalt sections of the road be reviewed, just as he had directed full solar lights from Enugu to Onitsha expressway.

The Minister also added that he had directed full tree planting from Enugu to Onitsha, saying, “that’s the gift of Mr President to Southeast. He’ll do more for us.”

He challenged Southeast governors to be vocal in convincing people of the zone to support President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections.

His words: “God has spoken to me that His mighty hands are upon President Bola Tinubu. It’s important that our people must have to be strategic.

“We won’t mount the seat of president by foul language or mere wish. Otherwise nobody will give it to us. Whatever I tell you, go and write down cos it will come to pass. No matter who is with the presidential ticket, Southeast must be wise.

“The marginalization we’re talking about is over. For the first time, we’re the helm of affairs. For the first time, your son is Minister of works. We also have two service chiefs, under this administration.

“As we’re developing other regions, Southeast is not Left behind. We have no reason to be bitter? Yes, Southeast deserves to be president, but we need to support the incumbent to get ours.

“I’m bold to say that all Southeast governors are supporting President Bola Tinubu. But we have to trickling down to our supporters. I want our leader, the Imo state governor to charge all the Southeast leaders to be very vocal about supporting Mr President.

“I want to plead with southeast leaders to be bold in convincing our people on the need to vote for Mr President. If as a leader in Southeast and you’re not vocal in the declaration, then you’re not for us

“Let them know what the president has done for us. Let them know that if we appreciate the ones he’s done, he’ll do more for the region. Governance is about development, infrastructure, fairness, equity and justice.

“We can’t afford to give him anything less than 80percent; do that and leave the rest for us. We’ll boldly go to the negotiation table.

“Let nobody split our votes, let nobody mislead us. I was shouting it in 2023 while I was the governor, prepare the way if the lord. This time, I’m shouting, be strategic in voting President Bola Tinubu.

“The same way you understood your son being the Minister, same way you need to understand our being strategic.”

Describing the commissioning of the completed portions of the expressway as a turning point for transportation and economic activity in the Southeast, Umahi recalled the deplorable condition of the road prior to the current administration.

He regretted that commuters previously spent over seven hours traveling between Enugu and Onitsha due to years of neglect and stalled construction.

“This is the most important route in the Southeast. The project had been awarded long before 2023 but remained largely abandoned for about eight years with little or no meaningful progress.

According to him, the road was initially being handled under a tax credit arrangement involving MTN and construction giant RCC.

He however said the project suffered delays until Tinubu’s intervention who ordered its acceleration and a redesign of critical sections.

Umahi explained that the federal government reviewed the original ₦202 billion contract, retaining part of it while carving out a 72-kilometres stretch for reconstruction using reinforced concrete pavement.

“The new section, valued at about ₦150 billion, is being executed to higher durability standards similar to those used on the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway.

In total, he said, the full reconstruction of the Enugu–Onitsha road is now valued at over ₦350 billion.

Highlighting progress made so far, the minister disclosed that the first 15 kilometres of the reinforced concrete section is about 97 percent completed and has been opened to traffic to ease movement during the Easter period.

He added that another 18-kilometre stretch is under construction towards Anambra State, while a separate 39-kilometre segment extending from the Niger Bridge axis is also ongoing.

Umahi further revealed that contractors handling asphalt portions of the road have been directed to adopt the same concrete standard for the remaining 23 kilometres, citing the longer lifespan and minimal maintenance requirements of concrete roads compared to asphalt.

“Asphalt fails over time, but concrete can last between 50 and 100 years with little or no maintenance,” he said.

The minister emphasized that upon completion, at least 50 percent of the entire highway will be built with reinforced concrete, significantly improving durability and reducing long-term costs.

Beyond the Enugu–Onitsha project, Umahi used the occasion to highlight a series of ongoing federal infrastructure projects across the Southeast, which he credited to the Tinubu administration.

These include sections of the Enugu–Port Harcourt Expressway, with parts already nearing completion, and the dualization of the Enugu–Abakaliki road.

He also mentioned reconstruction works on the Afikpo–Abia–Okigwe corridor under a tax credit scheme, as well as major upgrades to the Aba–Port Harcourt road.

The minister noted that access roads and bypasses connected to the Second Niger Bridge are also under construction, alongside several flyovers and interchanges, including what he described as one of the longest flyovers in the country located in the region.

He added that previously collapsed bridges along the Enugu–Onitsha axis have been rebuilt within months and are now equipped with solar-powered lighting systems, part of a broader plan to illuminate major highways.

Umahi also referenced large-scale national projects such as the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway and a proposed corridor linking Calabar through Ebonyi and Benue to Abuja, which he said would drastically cut travel time between the Southeast and the Federal Capital Territory.

Addressing concerns raised by journalists about alleged abandoned projects, the minister insisted that work is ongoing across multiple sites and urged the public to rely on verified information.

“Projects are not abandoned. You need to visit these sites. Many of them are progressing steadily,” he said.

On rail infrastructure, Umahi clarified that the proposed eastern rail corridor linking Port Harcourt to Maiduguri falls under the Ministry of Transport, adding that procurement processes are ongoing.

Umahi expressed confidence that the Enugu–Onitsha road project will be fully completed by 2026, assuring that the ongoing works will ultimately transform mobility, enhance safety, and boost economic growth in the region.

“This project will change the story of transportation in the Southeast. What you are seeing today is just the beginning,” he added.

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