SOUTH-SOUTH CAUCUS REPS MEMBERS VISIT UMAHI ..... Commend President Tinubu's Approval Of Funds For Completion Of Road Projects In The Region

Senator David Umahi, Honourable Minister of Works (R) and Mohammed Bello Goronyo Esq, Minister of State Works during the visit by members of the South South caucus from the 10th Assembly of the Federal House of Representatives 

..... As Umahi commends visiting legislators for their readiness to support the life changing initiatives of the Renewed Hope administration which has come to change the ugly narrative of years of road failures, deficiencies and insufficiencies. 

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in his determination to give an enduring solution to the perennial road infrastructure deficiencies in the oil-rich South South Geo-Political Zone of Nigeria, under the Renewed Hope administration, has approved the re-award of the two bypasses of 2nd Niger Bridge linking  to Asaba-Benin and Enugu-Onitsha dual-carriage-ways. 

Mr. President also approved that Section III of Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway be started on the Cross River-Akwa-ibom axis of the superhighway and for the East-West Road to be given accelerated attention.

Making this known is the Honourable Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi when he received a delegation of South South Caucus of the 10th Assembly of the Federal House of Representatives, who were on a courtesy visit to his office at the Ministry's headquarters Mabushi, Abuja.

The Minister, in a statement issued and signed by his Special Adviser on Media, Orji Uchenna Orji, said he was humbled by the visit of the caucus and their expression of burning desire to collaborate with the Federal Ministry of Works. He commended the visiting legislators for their readiness to support the life changing initiatives of the Renewed Hope administration which has come to change the ugly narrative of  years of road failures, deficiencies and insufficiencies. 

Speaking on the Renewed Hope Legacy Projects, commended the President highly for the courage of this project. 

"The four Legacy Projects of Mr. President is icing on the cake. We will finish the Lagos-Calabar 700 kilometers, and with your support and of course, by God's special grace, the miracle of the second tenure will still come to pass, and so we have time to get this project fully completed. 

"I have no apologies when I speak that we need time to get this project completed because he that has started this good work, God will give him time to finish it, and it will be a catalyst for economic growth."

Engr. Umahi gave a detailed insight into the efforts of the Renewed Hope administration in revolutionizing road infrastructure across South South, including the innovation that would guarantee quality, speed, and value for money.

He solicited for the support of the Federal Legislators and their respective constituencies to draw forth a sense of responsibility among the contractors handling projects in their domains. 

He reiterated the directive of Mr. President that non-performing contracts on federal roads be terminated and assured that by the time the vision of Mr. President in the works sector is fully accomplished, Nigeria would achieve enviable milestones in economic growth and prosperity. 

While reeling out some projects in South South that are receiving attention by Mr. President, Engr. Umahi said; "Just yesterday, the Federal Executive Council re‐awarded three sections of East-West road." 

On Eleme-Onne road, he said. "We have agreed to commit  RCC Ltd within the first carriageway of 15 kilometers, including one bridge and one flyover. But for us to get this road completed by December, as it should be,we must definitely need to engage two extra contractors. But if they are wise, they could get subcontractors and put on that 15-kilometer stretch so that they çan save the job. But they can not keep the job when the people are suffering on that road." 

On the Agbor route, Engr. Umahi disclosed that "We have sent the document. It is going to be done on PPP and we have sent the amount to BPP. We will hopefully get approval by next week. And then we will call you so that we can do a groundbreaking ceremony. We would not want to do anything without getting you involved. 

"The good news is that the President has also approved the Second Niger Bridge, the two bypasses, one in Delta State and the other one in Anambra State. When these two are done, then the Second Niger Bridge will be very operational and it is going to help our people very well." 

The Minister of Works, while speaking on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, stated that the good news is that, Mr. President has directed me to go and start the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, Section III in Cross River and Akwa."

Presenting his mission statement on behalf of the South South Caucus in the Federal House of Representatives, the leader of the caucus who doubles as the leader of Bayelsa State caucus, Hon. Agbedi Yeitiemone Frederick, said their visit was to engage the Federal Ministry of Works on the state of the roads in the South South which the present administration inherited, and to seek for government's decisive action on the projects being delayed by contractors in the area. 

He, however, commended Mr. President for the recent approval of funds by the Federal Executive Council for the execution of some projects in the South South region particularly the approval to have Section III of the Lagos- Calabar Coastal Highway started in South South Zone. 

Hon. Agbedi decried the difficulties faced virtually by all the South-south states in connecting to one another and in connecting to the North, East, and West. He offered the collaborations of the caucus in achieving the road infrastructure goals of the Renewed Hope administration in South-South and indeed Nigeria. 

"Yes, we know that there are works, there are projects and there is construction going on. But we want to seriously say that the work level is slow, and our people are suffering. Our people are really suffering. Today, it's difficult for you to fly to Benin and access the other parts of Benin. Today, it's difficult for you to land in Port Harcourt and even go through the industrial part of River State, particularly in the Eleme-Ogoni Axis. Today, if you fly to Akwa Ibom, it makes it absolutely difficult for you to access Cross River State and Calabar." 

Hon. Agbedi further appealed that  contractors should assist their people through employment, empowerment, and skilled development as part of the Corporate Social Responsibility to the communities where they work.

In his remarks, the Honourable Minister of State for Works, Hon. Mohammad Bello Goronyo Esq assured that the present government will fix the ailing roads but would require the support and cooperation of Nigerians. 

He said; "The Hon. Minister has demonstrated his capacity, experience, and knowledge by bringing a lot of innovations in the discharge of the mandate of his office and in piloting the affairs of this Ministry. Through him, we can have it better. So, this is the time for us to join hands together. And we are sure that you will continue to give us full support for this vision, so that together, we achieve can our aspirations to build a virile nation, a prosperous nation, a nation that we can all be proud of."