Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda Revitalizes Long-Abandoned South-East Road Projects

The Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, has disclosed that the current administration, led by President Bola Tinubu, is actively working on rehabilitating major road projects in the South-East region that have been in a state of disrepair since the colonial era. This revelation was made during an inspection tour of federal government projects in Ebonyi State, where Umahi was accompanied by senior journalists and government officials. The team visited various project sites, including the Calabar–Ebonyi–Benue Trans-Saharan Superhighway, which is expected to have a significant impact on economic activities across the South-East, South-South, and parts of the North-Central region. According to Umahi, the project, which was initially conceived during the colonial era, had been abandoned for many years but has now been revived under President Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda. 'It is a colonial-era dream long forgotten, but President Tinubu has revived it, and construction is now underway. We must thank him immensely,' Umahi said. The minister noted that Section One of the highway, which spans 123.6 kilometers, is being constructed at a cost of ₦45 billion, with dualization works progressing steadily. Section Two, which covers Benue and Kogi states to Nasarawa, has been awarded at a cost of ₦668 billion and has attained about 28 percent completion in some sections. Umahi attributed the progress made on the project to the adoption of concrete road technology by the Tinubu administration, which has enabled construction to continue despite the rainy season. The Trans-Sahara Superhighway is not just a road; it is an investment corridor that will catalyze trade in agricultural produce such as cassava, yam, cashew, and palm oil from Cross River, Benue, and Ebonyi, while also connecting Nigeria to Cameroon. The minister expressed appreciation on behalf of the South-East for President Tinubu's commitment to inclusiveness and infrastructure development in the region. During the inspection, the team, which included the Acting Federal Controller of Works in Ebonyi, Maxwell Okoh, and Mohammed Mustafa, Project Manager of Infiouest International Limited, inspected major bridges and concrete pavement sections along the highway. The delegation also visited the 1.3-kilometer Ndi-Egbe Bridge in Afikpo Local Government Area of Ebonyi, which links the state with Cross River. The bridge is expected to be completed in December 2026. Additionally, the team inspected the ₦35 billion Onueke Flyover project in Ebonyi Central Senatorial District, designed to ease traffic congestion along the corridor. The team also toured the completed concrete-pavement link road connecting communities in Ebonyi and Cross River states. Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi commended President Tinubu for the ongoing infrastructure projects in the South-East and for the administration's commitment to national renewal. Receiving the media delegation in Abakaliki, Nwifuru said his administration had sustained development projects across all local government areas of the state, including roads, primary healthcare centers, and water schemes. 'We have kept contractors busy in the state with projects spread across every local government area, from rural roads to primary health centers and water schemes,' he said. The governor also maintained that Ebonyi remained one of the safest states in the country. Umahi disclosed that South-East governors and leaders would converge in Abakaliki on Monday for a rally to endorse President Tinubu for a second term. According to him, Nwifuru will lead the people of Ebonyi at the event in appreciation of the President's support for the state and the region. The National Media Tour is organized by the Renewed Hope Ambassadors in collaboration with the Presidential Media Team. The South-East tour follows an earlier inspection of federal government projects in the North-West zone. From Ebonyi, the delegation will proceed to Enugu before visiting Abia, Anambra, and Imo states to inspect projects being executed under the Renewed Hope Agenda.