By Daniel Tyokua
The Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, has called on Nigerians to support President Bola Tinubu’s administration, saying the government’s infrastructure and security efforts are laying the foundation for long-term economic stability.
He made the statement when the Inspector General of Police, Olatunji Disu visited him in Abuja, Monday.
Umahi commended Tinubu for his leadership, particularly in tackling insecurity, and urged citizens to play their part by providing information to security agencies and supporting the families of fallen personnel.
“Fighting crime is the job of everybody,” Umahi said. “The President is doing quite a lot in this direction. We should pray for him and for our men and women in the security sector. We should support them, give them information, and encourage them to do more.”
He also called for constructive criticism from the opposition, saying national development requires solutions, not just fault-finding.
“We love opposition, we love criticism, but we want constructive criticism.
“Tell us how you want us to do things differently. That is how it is done in the modern world.” he said.
Meanwhile, Umahi said over 80 percent of the ongoing road projects across the country were inherited from previous administrations, some dating back to 2000, 2015, and 2017, putting the total value of ongoing projects at about ₦34 trillion.
“The President is borrowing so that our roads can be good. Road is everything,” he said. “Without roads, it’s difficult for security agencies, for commerce to thrive, and for schools to function. It is a bondage on the GDP of our economy.”
He highlighted the administration’s four legacy projects, describing them as investment-driven rather than ordinary roads. The completed 7.47 km Section 1 of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, he said, has attracted investors willing to toll and manage the section.
Beyond the legacy projects, Umahi said work was ongoing on major routes including Abuja-Kano, Lagos-Maiduguri, East-West Road, Enugu-Port Harcourt.
He added that the government was also building rest houses, installing solar lighting, and deploying CCTV along key corridors.
To improve safety on highways, Umahi announced plans to strengthen the Federal Highway Patrol and explore the use of licensed private security outfits for VIP protection, with revenue shared with the federal government.
“We need to take off and make it a battle to provide not only CCTV, but also solar lighting and rest houses so that security personnel can safely monitor the roads,” he said.
He cited progress on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, where patrol vehicles have been provided, illegal structures removed, and fences secured. On the Second Niger Bridge, he said observation centers had been built and response time reduced to five minutes.
Addressing concerns from the South-East, Umahi urged patience, saying the President had brought the region “inside the house” through infrastructure projects and should be given time to deliver.
“My prayer is that those who succeed the President should be able to do better. I believe the macro reforms he has introduced have stabilized the economy,” he said. “By 2028, God willing, the Sokoto-Badagry and Lagos-Calabar projects should be completed.”
