Umahi decries dilapidated federal roads in South-East

By Francis Onyeukwu

Minister of Works David Umahi has lamented the terrible status of federal highways in the south-east geopolitical zone, particularly in Anambra and Ebonyi states.

Umahi expressed his thoughts during a courtesy call on Anambra Governor Prof. Charles Soludo on Saturday night in Awka.

According to the minister, Anambra and Ebonyi were fighting for the worst federal road projects in the country.

He stated that he had just visited Imo, Abia, Enugu, and Ebonyi states before arriving in Anambra, and that the situation on federal roads remains the same.

Umahi, who had examined the Onitsha/Enugu motorway’s Enugu-bound lane before meeting Soludo, voted no confidence in the consultants overseeing the road’s repair.

He regretted that the operators of the extremely busy road were subjecting road users to terrible hardship.

“I am a bit disappointed with the state of the Enugu/Onitsha expressway; I have called both the contractors and consultants to a meeting this evening with the Governor.

“I have equally passed a vote of no confidence in the consultants,” he said.

He directed the firm to immediately rehabilitate the bad spots, which have caused vehicles to fall and other sundry hiccups on the Enugu-Onitsha motorway.

“While MTN Nigeria says they have 100 percent funding, the chairman of the RCC construction firm will say the opposite, complaining of a funding problem.

“We will all meet and sort out these problems because we cannot have one or two contractors do 200 kilometres of road for seven years,” he said.

The minister expressed personal worry as a result of a number of calls and complaints from the same rd.

Umahi, who highlighted that the MTN Nigeria Tax Credit decision did not treat states in the south-east geopolitical zone properly, expressed confidence that Mr. President would look into the problem in due time.

“Yes, Enugu and Abia states benefitted, but that cannot be compared with other zones that got on the MTN Nigeria Tax Credit Sharing Formula.

“I know, as a man of justice and equity, President Bola Tinubu will look into the matter because development thrives on fairness and equity,” he said.

Responding, Gov. Soludo said he was overwhelmed when President Tinubu appointed Umahi as his minister of works.

“Umahi’s appointment is a prayer answered for me because it is like a perfect round peg in a round hole,” he said.

He regretted that the entire federal road network in Anambra was bad, adding that urgent actions were needed to reduce the suffering facing road users.

Soludo, who urged the minister to emulate his work on road construction in Ebonyi across the country, pushed for a mega-budget for road projects.

According to him, the proposal would push the National Assembly to make proper budgetary provisions for road projects that have been ongoing for more than four years.

He stated that after this is completed, the government will no longer be obliged to discuss yearly budgetary allocations on existing roads, but will instead spend on already allocated monies to end the problem of inadequate funding.”

Before the courtesy call, Umahi visited the Enugu/Onitsha motorway, the Oye-Oranto Ukpo route in Dunukofia, and the Otuocha-Iheaka-Ibaji roads.

NAN