BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja
Clerics in the Methodist Church have fully
embraced President Bola Tinubu’s ongoing infrastructure renewal in the Southeast geopolitical zone, describing it as remarkable contributions to the Southeast and Nigeria generally.
Methodist Church Archbishop of Anambra State, Most. Revd. Vincent C. E. Onoh disclosed this on Thursday when he led a delegation of Bishops and Archbishops of the Methodist Church from the Southeast, to the Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi at the Ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.
He appreciated Tinubu and Umahi for their numerous interventions in the region, just as he lauded the progress of work on the second Niger Bridge.
“Sometimes people wouldn’t even know where we start when we want to talk about you, but we have just come as a church to appreciate you for the work you are doing, not only in the entire Nigeria, but particularly in the Southeast,” he said.
Onoh noted that visitors were often astonished at the quality of infrastructure constructed in Nigeria, adding that the church chose to honour Umahi in recognition of his contribution to infrastructure development.
He said though the church does not traditionally confer traditional titles but Umahi’s work earned him significant recognition among the people.
The Bishop recalled Umahi’s record as Governor of Ebonyi State, saying that his impact in the state remained visible.
Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi called on Nigerians, particularly people of the Southeast, to recognise and appreciate the infrastructure investments of Tinubu’s administration, saying that the President changed the narrative of development in the region.
Umahi lamented that the Southeast had experienced marginalisation in the past, but stated that the situation should not prevent the people from acknowledging the scale of ongoing federal infrastructure development under President Tinubu.
According to him, the Federal Government is currently working across the country because of the President’s commitment to infrastructure development, adding that the appointment of a Minister of Works from the Southeast had also provided an opportunity to accelerate projects in the region.
Umahi enjoined the people of the Southeast to continue demanding more development while appreciating the existing projects, appealing to them to support the President’s administration and advocate for the completion of infrastructure projects already underway.
He said that the Southeast had not supported President Tinubu at the polls as much as it should have, but argued that the President’s actions since assuming office showed his willingness to develop the region.
The Minister highlighted several major road and bridge projects in the Southeast which he said would significantly improve transportation, economic activity and connectivity when completed.
“In Enugu-Port Harcourt, for more than 18 years, nobody has spent less than seven hours to do that short journey but the road is now undergoing reconstruction, including sections being executed with reinforced concrete pavement,” he said.
He cited the Enugu-Onitsha corridor, Enugu-Abakaliki Road, the Eke-Obinagu Flyover in Enugu and the Second Niger Bridge as examples of infrastructure projects changing the transportation landscape of the Southeast.
The Minister said that motorists who previously spent several hours in traffic around Eke-Obinagu can now use the completed flyover, which he described as the longest flyover in the area.
On the Niger Bridge, he recalled that President Tinubu had responded immediately when concerns emerged over the First Niger Bridge, explaining that rehabilitation work had continued day and night.
He disclosed that the bridge would feature solar lighting and CCTV surveillance, describing it as a standard project compared with the Third Mainland Bridge.
On the third Legacy project, he stated that the major highway corridor connected Calabar through Ebonyi, Benue, Enugu and Kogi towards Abuja, adding that the first two sections, covering about 330 kilometres, had already been awarded and paid for by the Federal Government.
He informed that the project would dramatically reduce travel time from parts of the Southeast to Abuja when completed, saying that the scale of the infrastructure programme demonstrated why political sentiments should not prevent Nigerians from recognising development taking place across the country.
Umahi disclosed his intention to traverse the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory as part of an effort to educate and sensitise Nigerians on the infrastructure projects and the need for continued support for President Tinubu.
He added: “Southeast must understand the importance of being part of the central government, particularly when major infrastructure and development decisions are being made.
Umahi stated that his position was not driven by personal animosity towards Peter Obi, whom he described as a very close friend, but by the need for Nigerians to distinguish between saving public funds and investing them in projects that improve lives and grow the economy.
“I am not against Peter Obi. He is my very close friend. I sent him a birthday message, and he sent me one during my own but Nigerians should not be deceived by the idea that keeping the government money unused automatically amounts to good governance,” he added.
Umahi argued that public resources should be deployed productively to build roads, airports, seaports, industries and other infrastructure that create jobs and expand economic opportunities.
He said that his experience in both business and public administration had reinforced his conviction that productive investment in infrastructure is essential to development, noting that infrastructure spending generates employment, improves security, shortens travel distances, expands commercial activity and contributes to economic growth,
The Minister cited ongoing road construction, including projects in Kebbi, as examples of infrastructure creating jobs and stimulating economic activity, as well as creating a revolution in the Gross Domestic Product, GDP.
Umahi noted that the Federal Government’s long-term objective was not simply to construct roads but to develop economic corridors around them, calling on church leaders and other stakeholders to assist in enlightening the people about the projects and underlying opportunities.
The Minister praised the governors of the Southeast for supporting the President, adding that their experience enabled them to understand the importance of working with the Federal Government.
He encouraged church leaders to help correct misinformation by ensuring that young people in particular understood the extent of the infrastructure development taking place in the region.
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