*H.E. Engr. (Senator) Dave Umahi, Minister for Works, declares several road projects originally, conceived during the colonial era in the South-East region but left unrealised for decades, are now being completed under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda
Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect
H.E. Engr. (Senator) Dave Umahi, Honourable Minister for Works, has said that several road projects originally, conceived during the colonial era in the South-East region but left unrealised for decades, are now being brought to life under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Senator Umahi said this while speaking Saturday, June 13, 2026, in Ebonyi State, while conducting senior journalists and government officials on a tour of the administration’s legacy projects.
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Umahi, who is a former Governor of Ebonyi State, highlighted the Calabar-Ebonyi-Benue Trans-Saharan Highway as a project of strategic importance to the South-East, South-South, and parts of the North-Central region.
Mr. Tunde Rahman, Director of Media and Publicity of Renewed Hope Ambassadors, Sunday, June 14, 2026, noted the Minister said: “It is a colonial-era dream long forgotten, but President Tinubu has revived it, and construction is now underway. We must thank him immensely.”
Reporting steady progress on the project, the Minister for Works explained that Section One, initially 118 kilometres, has been extended to 123.6 kilometres, with a contract sum of ₦45 billion, and that dualisation works are ongoing.
Rahman and Dare (middle) during a tour of the current administration’s legacy projects in the South-East
Section Two, Umahi stated, which runs from the Aboadi border through Benue and Kogi States to Nasarawa, has also been awarded for ₦668 billion.
He also noted that the project has reached about 28 percent completion in some areas, with work continuing even during the rainy season, thanks to President Tinubu’s adoption of concrete road technology.
The Minister said: “The Trans‑Sahara Superhighway is not just a road; it is an investment corridor that will catalyse trade in agricultural produce like cassava, yams, cashews, and palm oil from Cross River, Benue and Ebonyi, while also connecting Nigeria to Cameroon.”
The statement further indicated that the concrete road technology pioneered by President Tinubu as governor is now being deployed nationwide.
Umahi expressed the gratitude of the South East to the President for ending decades of exclusion, stating, “All our forefathers sought—inclusiveness—we have it now.”
Rahman said during the tour, the team, including Senator Umahi, Acting Federal Controller in Ebonyi State, Engr. Maxwell Okoh, and Mohammed Mustafa, Project Manager of Infiouest International Limited (the contractor for the Calabar-Abuja Trans-Sahara Superhighway), inspected critical bridges in Section One and the concrete pavement on the Onueke section.
The statement noted the team also inspected the 1.3-kilometre Ndi-Egbe Bridge in Afikpo LGA, Ebonyi, which links Ugep in Cross River State and is expected to be completed by December 2026.
In regard to the Onueke Flyover in Ebonyi’s Central Senatorial District, Umahi noted that the ₦35 billion project is designed to decongest the highway. The flyover stands 90 metres high and is flanked by a 2.2-kilometre road on both sides.
The Minister explained that Section Two of the Superhighway, awarded to Infiouest International Limited, runs from the Ebonyi border through Benue and Kogi to the Loko-Oweto Bridge in Nasarawa State, covering 123.6 kilometres.
The team also inspected the completed concrete pavement link road between Ebonyi and Cross River States, particularly from Okposi-Ukawu in Oha-Zara Local Government of Ebonyi and Ugwulangu-Abaomege in UGEP Ugep Local Government of Cross River State.
Meanwhile, Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State has declared that his state remains the safest in Nigeria, with no reported kidnapping cases since he assumed office.
Receiving the media delegation in Abakaliki, Governor Nwifuru thanked President Tinubu for his commitment to infrastructure development in the South East, especially in Ebonyi, and for his national renewal programme.
The governor also highlighted numerous completed, and ongoing projects in the state, including rural roads, primary health centres, and water schemes.
Nwifuru explained: “We have kept contractors busy in the state with projects spread across every local government area, from rural roads to primary health centres and water schemes.
“We do not even view the road projects as a big deal because we have road projects scattered all over the state.”
The Director of Media and Publicity of Renewed Hope Ambassadors, revealed that South-East State Governors and leaders are scheduled to converge on Abakaliki Monday, June 15, at a mammoth rally to endorse President Tinubu for a second term in office.
Umahi said Governor Nwifuru would lead the people of Ebonyi State at the rally to show appreciation to President Tinubu.
He urged Ebonyi citizens to ignore the ranting of opposition politicians who cannot match President Tinubu’s record.
The National Media Tour is organised by the Governor Hope Uzodimma-led Renewed Hope Ambassadors, in collaboration with the Presidential Media Team.
The statement as well noted that the visit to the South-East is the team’s second regional tour, following the team’s North-West tour.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, and Chief Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communications, led the delegation to the region.
Other team members include Mr. Tunde Rahman, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media; Temitope Ajayi, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity; and Mr. Otega Ogra, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Digital and New Media.
Mr. Segun Dada, Special Assistant to the President on Social Media; Linda Akhigbe and Fred Nwabufo, Senior Special Assistants to the President on Strategic Communications; Abdullahi Tanko Yakasai and Barrister Chioma Nweze, Senior Special Assistants to the President on Community Engagement; and Dare Olude, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Job Creation were also the delegation.
From Ebonyi, the team will proceed to Enugu State on Monday, and later to Abia, Anambra, and Imo States to inspect the projects undertaken under the Renewed Hope Agenda, Rahman stated.