The Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, has stated that the Federal Government’s massive investment in road infrastructure under President Bola Tinubu is generating thousands of jobs, stimulating economic activity, and helping to alleviate hunger nationwide.
Umahi made the remarks on Friday during an inspection of the ongoing Calabar–Ebonyi–Benue–Nasarawa–Abuja Superhighway project in Onueke, Ezza South Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
According to the Minister, President Tinubu’s infrastructure agenda is directly creating employment through construction activities while opening up commercial opportunities for communities along the corridor.
“When people talk about hunger in this country, they should understand that the activities created by the President’s infrastructural development serve as a direct catalyst for addressing that challenge,” Umahi noted.
He highlighted that the project has directly engaged hundreds of workers, while local traders, material suppliers, and service providers continue to reap financial benefits.
“You can see the number of people working on the reinforcement section alone. You go to the project yards and see the number of workers employed. Along this corridor, people are selling food, supplying chippings, supplying sand and rendering different services,” he added.
The Minister further explained that the Ministry’s strategic switch to reinforced concrete pavement for major federal highways is revitalising Nigeria’s domestic economy by prioritising locally sourced inputs over imports.
“The introduction of reinforced concrete pavement is not only about durability; it is vital for our economic revolution because virtually nothing is imported,” Umahi stated.
“Cement manufacturers are expanding production, generating higher returns, and employing more Nigerians.”
Appealing for national support, Umahi stressed that decades of accumulated infrastructure decay cannot be reversed in a short timeframe.
“The President is making very serious efforts, but everything cannot be corrected in three years. People should acknowledge the giant strides being made across different sectors of the economy,” he said.
The Minister urged media organisations to actively highlight ongoing Federal Government initiatives, particularly across the South-East region, emphasising that the transformative Calabar–Abuja Superhighway will significantly shorten travel times, strengthen regional integration, and unlock key economic corridors.
