MINISTER OF WORKS APPOINTMENT: Eze Commends Tinubu for Heeding the Call and Placing Reliance on the Sterling Administrative Records and Sound Professional Competence of Umahi

 ...Expresses Confidence that the Former Ebonyi Governor Will Change the Narrative in Nigeria’s Infrastructural Deficit Through Innovation and his Multi-dimensional Problem-solving Skills 

Erstwhile National Publicity Secretary of the defunct New People’s Democratic Party (nPDP) and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze has commended President Bola Tinubu for paying heed to his counsel and the call from other Nigerians of goodwill to appoint former Chairman, Southeast Governors Forum and immediate past Governor of Ebonyi State, Sen. Engr. Dave Umahi as Minister, nay Minister of Works to salvage Nigeria’s crumbling infrastructure and bridge the galloping deficit in the crucial sector.

Recall that the party Chief in a divinely wrought statement issued 30th June, 2023, barely a month after the inauguration of Sen. Bola Tinubu as the President of Nigeria and a month before he submitted his Ministerial list to the Senate, opined that with the retinue of landmark achievements particularly in infrastructure, recorded in Ebonyi State under the immediate past administration of Sen. David Nweze Umahi, CON as Governor, President Bola Tinubu must beam his searchlight and look inward to discover and understand that the capabilities and professional competence imbued in the former Governor is what is needed at the moment to save Nigeria’s crumbling infrastructure and ignite a rapid growth that will help the country catch up with the rest of the world."

From the said statement titled, "Ministerial Appointment: Umahi Will Unlock a Radical Infrastructural Revolution in Nigeria if Called Upon to Serve...” the APC Chief stated that his advice on the matter of who heads the Ministry of Works is paramount and should be heeded given that Senator Umahi displayed superlative practical performance and his credentials in infrastructure and related developments in Ebonyi while he held sway as Governor consolidates his position as a performer cum leader in structural engineering and construction.

With the inauguration of Ministers two days ago, Eze said it is good that President Tinubu has heeded the call by appointing Senator Engr. David Nweze UMAHI not only as a Minister but as the Minister in charge of Ministry of works as urged.

In a statement made available to media houses, Chief Eze said at the end of Tinubu’s administration, Nigeria and Nigerians will see the wisdom in his counsel for the appointment of this enigma and uncommon leader of this dispensation to head the works Ministry. 

Eze commended President Tinubu for this special recognition and assured him and Nigerians that Umahi will not disappoint the country.

Assuring Umahi of his unalloyed support, Eze said he will be ceaseless in prayers for the Works Minister to ensure that he succeeds in his task of revolutionizing Nigeria’s road network and other critical areas of infrastructure under the Works Ministry.

Highlighting some of the unique feats of Umahi while as the Governor of Ebonyi State, Eze said aside building sixteen flyover bridges, Sen. Umahi built an international market with modern facilities, that is large enough to be ranked the biggest in West Africa.

The State Ecumenical Centre which sits and prides itself as the best in the country is a model for it’s contemporaries. The former Governor also built a modern shopping mall - the best of its kind in Nigeria to boost modern trade and commerce and improve local economy; he constructed thousands of kilometers of roads  and drainage systems with concrete overlays that meet every engineering standards, thus turning the state into a construction site throughout his eight-year term.

Indeed, one administration whose times and legacies will continue to resonate in the memories of men is that of Dave Umahi, 2015-2023, whose eight-year reign transmogrified Ebonyi into an evolving economic hub of the eastern region and earned her the status of the fastest developing states in Nigeria.

Offering his opinion on the present state of Ebonyi, Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze noted that the state and her people owe the development that has permeated the nook and cranny of the entire enclave to former Senator Umahi, whom he described as the Vision Bearer and Father of the new Ebonyi state.

According to the party Chief, as Governor, Sen. Umahi created direct and indirect jobs for thousands of youths and improved the livelihoods of families through his unparalleled drive for development which is yielding a multi-sectoral result and widening the scope of the state’s economy. 

The King David University of Medical Sciences, his brainchild has since taken off and would help stem the tide of medical tourism amongst Nigerian elites. The University will serve a crucial role in providing manpower and bridging the gap in Nigeria’s ailing health sector. 

The Chuba Okadigbo International Airport sitting on a 5.3 km2 area of land was constructed by indigenous expert engineering companies to boost local content and cure capital flight.

Addressing a cross section of  staff of the Ministry upon assumption of duty after his inauguration two days ago, Sen. Umahi made a case for a change from the existing style of operation to new, innovative methods and the use of local content to develop indigenous professionals while calling for professionalism and seriousness to work.

"I will challenge my fellow engineers on the issue of concrete technology even in the midst of forex challenge and petroleum crises, the nation is endowed with natural resources so, we should be prepared for the Renewed Hope of the present government, anchored on change." He said.

The Minister stated that his administration is not to seat in the office but to be in the field, inspecting ongoing works and effecting the change we want saying that the fortunes of the nation are determined by the attitude of its professionals.

"I am not an office person, I am a field person which means, we are going to make changes, we are starting inspection tours to inspect ongoing projects and to know the ones to come up  with," he said.

Umahi added that he will not tolerate people who will want to reset the clock backward but people who want to be part of history stating that he is a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and not Minister of Ebony State or South East alone and his best friends are those who are in line with the aspirations of "Mr. President’s Renewed Hope" and the expectations of Nigerians.

He promised by the special grace of God to replicate the good work of God in Ebonyi State to the federal roads, he urged all staff to be prepared to work for the good of all.

"God gave us a lot of grace in Ebonyi State and each time people talk about me, I say no, talk about God. I don’t know how it happened. I cannot do it alone and it is not about me but about us as a nation."

The Minister said he will be briefed by every Departmental Head in the presence of all the staff so that all the staff will know what is on board. 

Approving the efficacy of Eze's prophecy in this regard, Prof Nwachukwu a senior journalist and one of Chief Eze's teachers in journalism attested by stating; "Chief Eze, between us, you were the only human being in Nigeria that stoutly campaigned for Ministry of Works for Dave Umahi, showing evidence far above anybody touted to go to Works. Today, it's a reality. That's what marks out. You take up what you believe in and hammer it, not minding. Hmmm. Congrats for that analytical success. Am not saying they will compensate you because it's not in our DNA so to do. They even be elbowing you in his camp. Bet me." 

Eze further stated that, "appreciation of any man's input can only be possible if God approves it so, my fate lays in the hands of God."

In conclusion, Eze as a philosopher quoted one of his greatest Teachers, Socrates who affirmed, "God takes away the minds of poets, and uses them as his ministers, as he also uses diviners and holy prophets, in order that we who hear them may know them to be speaking not of themselves who utter these priceless words in a state of unconsciousness, but that God himself is the speaker, and that through them He is conversing with us".