BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja
The Federal Government has fixed March 31, as deadline for the reopening of Enugu–Onitsha Expressway, ending years of intense traffic gridlock on the route.
With the intervention, the Federal Government has proven his stance to upgrade road infrastructure across the Southeast.
Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi disclosed this during the inspection of
ongoing projects in Enugu, including the Enugu–Onitsha Expressway and the Eke-Obinagu Flyover.
He was confident that the era of consistent fatal accidents, endless traffic, and public frustration along the road will phase-out soon.
"I’m going round the six geopolitical zones assessing what is possibly to be commissioned before May 29th by Mr President. There are mega projects that the President will be available for before May 29th and we mean it,” the Minister said.
Once regarded as one of the most dangerous highways in the region, the Enugu–Onitsha road had for years been plagued by tanker explosions, loss of lives, and economic disruptions. But Umahi said decisive intervention by the Tinubu administration has changed the trajectory.
“Now this route, the Enugu-Onitsha expressway, you recall that when we came on board, everyday, people were talking about this road. There were a lot of tanker accidents, a lot of people died and so forth. But my joy is that the whole thing is a past story, because the President has swinged into action,” he stated.
The Minister disclosed that the dual carriageway, which spans 107 kilometres on each side, is undergoing a major structural shift, with a significant portion being converted from asphalt to concrete to ensure durability.
“It is not only that we are repairing this road… about half of it is going on to be concrete. I have no confidence in asphalt I continue to say it. By the time the asphalt fail we will have 50 percent of the road still intact and if it fails within the second tenure of the president then be rest assured that we will fix it,” he said.
He added that the same approach is being extended to sections in Anambra State, including the head bridge axis, where an initial asphalt design is being replaced with concrete pavement to align with modern highway standards.
“At the head Bridge we have 39k, we’re changing that to concrete so that we can have this coastal road type of road pavement there in Anambra and here in Enugu,”.
Beyond reconstruction, the project is also being enhanced with solar-powered street lighting and environmental features aimed at improving safety and sustainability.
“So that is going to happen but then not only that. We are putting solar light both for the one that was constructed before us and the one that is being done by us. Within the first one week we will have solar light up to this 1km and we continue we are also going to plant trees which is very important,” he added.
The minister urged the people of the South-East to recognise the level of federal intervention in the region, noting that such attention to infrastructure was previously lacking.
“The people of South East have to be very grateful to Mr President. The reason is that we never had it like this. I was governor for 8 years and I can’t think of any Federal road project in Ebonyi State,” he said.
“I’m going round the six geopolitical zones assessing what is possibly to be commissioned before May 29th by Mr President. There are mega project that the President will be available for before May 29th and we mean it," the minister said.
Once regarded as one of the most dangerous highways in the region, the Enugu–Onitsha road had for years been plagued by tanker explosions, loss of lives, and economic disruptions but Umahi said that the decisive intervention by the Tinubu administration changed the trajectory.
"Now this route, the Enugu-Onitsha expressway, you recall that when we came on board, everyday, people were talking about this road. There were a lot of tanker accidents, a lot of people died and so forth. But my joy is that the whole thing is a past story, because the President has swung into action," he stated.
The minister disclosed that the dual carriageway, which spans 107 kilometres on each side, is undergoing a major structural shift, with a significant portion being converted from asphalt to concrete to ensure durability.
"It is not only that we are repairing this road… about half of it will be on concrete. I have no confidence in asphalt I continue to say it. By the time the asphalt fail, we will have 50 percent of the road still intact and if it fails within the second tenure of the President, then be rest assured that we will fix it,” he said.
He added that the same approach is extended to sections in Anambra State, including the head bridge axis, where an initial asphalt design is replaced with concrete pavement to align with modern highway standards.
"At the head Bridge, we have 39k, we’re changing that to concrete so that we can have this coastal road type of road pavement there in Anambra and here in Enugu," he added.
Beyond reconstruction, the project is also enhanced with solar-powered street lighting and environmental features aimed at improving safety and sustainability.
"So that is going to happen but then not only that. We are putting solar light both for the one that was constructed before us and the one that is being done by us. Within the first one week, we will have solar light up to this one kilometres and also plant trees which is very important," he said.
The minister urged the people of the Southeast to recognise the level of Federal intervention in the region, noting that such attention to infrastructure was previously lacking.
Umahi said: "The people of South East have to be very grateful to Mr President. The reason is that we never had it like this. I was governor for eight years and I can’t think of any Federal road project in Ebonyi State."
He also cautioned against divisive narratives, warning that some actors were misleading the public for selfish interests.
Calling for sustained support for President Tinubu, the minister described the ongoing works as part of a broader effort to correct past neglect and integrate the South-East more fully into national development.
"Let us allow this man that have started to right the wrong metted on us as the people of Southeast in the past. Let us allow him the next four years and we will be very much fully integrated," he stated.
As a major milestone, the minister directed that the Enugu–Onitsha Expressway be reopened for public use on or before March 31.
"I have given the controller the authority, by the 31st or before, he should call the press to open this road, call the people of South East… let them know that this road is open for travel and that will be our Easter celebration,”.
Addressing concerns over project costs, Umahi clarified that the Ministry of Works does not unilaterally determine project pricing, noting that approvals pass through multiple regulatory layers, including the Bureau of Public Procurement and the Federal Executive Council.
He maintained that the standard being applied to the Enugu–Onitsha project is consistent with major road projects across the country.
"The same road architecture as the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway and the Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway… so no discrimination with the president, everybody is the same," Umahi said.
This was contained in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the Minister of Works on Media, Francis Nwaze in Abuja.
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