The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has berated former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, over what he described as a \u201cdeliberate attempt to mislead Northerners\u201d by falsely claiming that President Bola Tinubu\u2019s development projects favour only the South.<\/h2>\n
Naija News<\/strong> reports that Umahi dismissed the allegations as \u201cmischievous, misleading, and baseless,\u201d stressing that the President\u2019s infrastructural agenda cuts across all regions.<\/p>\n In a statement personally signed by him in Abuja on Saturday, Umahi accused Kwankwaso of playing divisive politics and attempting to distort the facts regarding federal projects under Tinubu\u2019s administration.<\/p>\n He urged Nigerians, especially in the North, to disregard Kwankwaso\u2019s remarks, describing them as an attempt to sow discord between regions.<\/p>\n Umahi also cautioned Kwankwaso against positioning himself as a successor to the legacy of the late President Muhammadu Buhari, warning that such ambition is both illusory and opportunistic.<\/p>\n He said, \u201cMy attention as the Honourable Minister of Works has been drawn to the unfortunate statement by His Excellency, Sen. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, is developing more roads in the South than in the North.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cI consider this statement to be a grave misleading information made intentionally to deceive our brothers and sisters in the North and to pretend that he loves the North more than any other leader from the North.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cI consider the statement as one made out of desperation and as part of his struggle, along with a few others who believe that they can inherit the impeccable legacy of our dear late President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, and that the only way available for them towards achieving the same is to be divisive and pretentious.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cTrying to be like our late President Buhari cannot be a job of three decades and cannot be done with deceit.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cI think our younger generation has such a chance and it must be worked for through hard work, honesty, transparency, and commitment to the unity of our country, a legacy that our late President Buhari, GCFR achieved in all his life on earth. May God continue to bless his legacies and give him a peaceful rest, Amen<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cFor the interest of all Nigerians, especially our dear brothers and sisters in the North, I wish to highlight just a few key ongoing projects in each of the six Geo-Political Zones.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThe four (4) Legacy Road Projects of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu: <\/em>Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, which is 750 km: As of today, a total of 110 km is ongoing within Lagos State and 65 km within Cross River and Akwa Ibom States. The total ongoing is 175 km by 6 lanes or 350 km by 3 lanes in the South.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThe Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway, which is 1068km: As of today, we have 258 km ongoing at the Kebbi section and 120 km ongoing at the Sokoto section. The total ongoing is 378 km by 6 lanes or 756 km by 3 lanes in the North.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cTrans Sahara road spanning through Cross River \u2013 Ebonyi \u2013 Benue \u2013 Kogi \u2013 Nasarawa \u2013 Abuja, which is 465km: 118 km by 3 lanes or 59 km by 6 lanes is ongoing in Ebonyi State \u2013 South.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cAkwanga \u2013 Jos \u2013 Bauchi \u2013 Gombe road, which is 439km: Project is being redesigned from flexible pavement to rigid pavement for more durability, as directed by Mr. President, and in conformity with the other legacy projects.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cOut of the total length of these Projects, the North has 52% and the South 48%. And within the ongoing projects, as of today, the South has 409 km by 3lanes and the North has 756km by 3 lanes. The facts are there.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cI wonder why people don\u2019t talk about other legacy projects of Mr. President but will always dwell on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThis road has only 220 km by 3 lanes in Lagos State which is ongoing now, Cross River and Akwa Ibom states have 130km by 3 ongoing lanes, whereas Kebbi state, alone, has 316 km by 3 lanes that is ongoing. Sokoto state has 240 km with 3 lanes that is ongoing. I think Sen. Kwankwaso is not fair to Mr.President and the unity of our country.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Umahi further said, \u201cThe following major projects are also ongoing in the North.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cSokoto \u2013 Gusau \u2013 Funtua \u2013 Zaria road in Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina, and Kaduna states: This is 275 km dualised (750 km), costing about \u20a6824 billion. This project is being handled by CBC, Triacta, Setraco, and Mothercat. Projects are ongoing mostly on reinforced concrete pavement.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cDespite the insecurity within this corridor, work is ongoing. Abuja \u2013 Kaduna \u2013 Kano road: 350 km dualized (700km) project is being constructed on concrete pavement with a total sum of \u20a6764 billion by Infiouest (Nig.) Ltd. with 30% of the contract sum already paid and work is ongoing.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cBUA Tax Credit road passing through Jigawa, Katsina, and Kano States: 256 km dualized (512 km). The project was redesigned and constructed on rigid pavement.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201c156 km of Zaria \u2013 Hunkuyi road is being constructed by Mothercat (Nig,) Ltd.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201ce) The Kano Northern Bypass: 49 km is being constructed by CCECC.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThe 100.9 km dualised (201.8 km) Kano \u2013 Jigawa states\u2019 section of the Kano \u2013 Maiduguri road is being constructed by Triacta (Nig.) Limited.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThe Bama and Dikwa roads (49+51=100 km) by Dangote Tax Credit are ongoing in Borno State.<\/em> \u201cThe 76 km Malando road in Kebbi State is being constructed by Episolyn (Nig.) Ltd. The 250 km dualised (500 km) Benue to 9th Mile road costing $958 million by China Harbour is ongoing.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThe Dualisation of Lokoja \u2013 Okene 86km dualised (172km) by CGC is ongoing. Sections 1 and 2 of the Kaduna to Katsina roads by CCECC costing about \u20a6150 billion are ongoing.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cMajor ongoing projects in the South: <\/em>Completion of Lagos \u2013 Ibadan 8.5 km costing \u20a633 Billion by RCC. Completion of Lagos to Sagamu 12 km dualised (24 km) and flyovers by CBC.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cCompletion of Oyo \u2013 Ogbomoso \u2013 Ilorin Road costing \u20a6146 billion by JRB. Repairs of Carter, Third Mainland, and Eko Bridges with a total contract sum of about \u20a6120 billion.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cIn the South East, we have: <\/em>Completion of Enugu \u2013 Onitsha road by MTN tax credit which is 107 km costing \u20a6202 billion.<\/em> \u201c36-km Enugu \u2013 Abakaliki road with reinforced concrete by Global Resources (Nig.) Limited.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201civ) 2nd Niger Bridge access road in Anambra State, 17.5 km (dualised) with many bridges and flyovers \u2013 \u20a6175Billion by CGC and Completion of 61km (dualised) of the Lokpanta in Imo state to Enugu state by CGC, costing 100bn.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cIn the South \u2013 South: <\/em>Completion of Eleme-Onne road project, which is 30 km with bridges and flyovers, costing \u20a6156 billion.Construction of Eket Bypass, which is 9.7 km, dualised, costing \u20a676 billion. Completion of East West Road, Section 2 at \u20a6186 Billion by Setraco and Nembe \u2013 Brass road costing \u20a6150 billion among others.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n
h) Section V of the Kano \u2013 Maiduguri Dualisation, Damaturu \u2013 Maiduguri in Borno and Yobe states: 110 km by 2 lanes is being constructed by CCECC (Nig.) Ltd.<\/em><\/p>\n
Completion of Enugu \u2013 Onitsha road by CBC, which is 72 km and costing \u20a6150 billion.<\/em><\/p>\n