The Minister of Works, Sen. Dave Umahi, has refuted a claim by Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso that President Bola Tinubu’s administration is developing more roads in southern Nigeria than in the northern part.
In a statement on Saturday, Umahi described Kwankwaso’s comments as false and misleading.
According to Umahi, northern Nigeria, especially the North-West Geopolitical Zone, where Kwankwaso hails from, has benefitted more from federal road projects under Tinubu’s administration than any other region.
“The President has been fair.
“In fact, out of the major legacy projects of the current administration, the North has a greater share,” Umahi said.
The minister cited the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway spanning 1,068km, with 378km ongoing in Kebbi and Sokoto states, as one of the legacy projects.
He noted that the superhighway was longer than the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.
Umahi stated that northern Nigeria had 756 km of road construction (measured in 3-lane equivalent) at the time, while southern Nigeria had 409 km.
He said some of the major projects ongoing in northern Nigeria included Sokoto–Zamfara–Katsina–Kaduna Road (275km dualised), Abuja–Kaduna–Kano Road (350km dualised), BUA Tax Credit Road through Jigawa, Katsina and Kano (256km dualised), and Zaria–Hunkuyi Road (156km).
He listed the others to include Kano Northern Bypass (49km), Bama and Dikwa roads in Borno State (100km), Borno Ring Road (110km), Malando Road in Kebbi (76km), Benue to 9th Mile (250km dualised), Lokoja–Okene Road (86km dualided) and Kaduna to Katsina road sections (under construction).
Umahi said that key projects ongoing in southern Nigeria included the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway, Oyo–Ogbomoso–Ilorin Road, Enugu–Onitsha Road, East-West Road (South-South), Second Niger Bridge access roads (in both Anambra and Delta states), and the Bodo–Bonny Road in Rivers.
The minister stated that many of the projects were inherited from the previous administration, noting that Tinubu’s administration ensured funding for their continuation.
He said: “In the NNPCL Tax Credit projects inherited from the past administration, the North got 53 per cent and the South 47 per cent.
“The South East and South West only received 4% and 5% respectively.”
He also said that contrary to Kwankwaso’s claim, Tinubu had shown commitment to national development.
“Our President is fair and God-fearing. I encourage Nigerians to disregard Sen. Kwankwaso’s misleading statement.
“President Tinubu is committed to the unity and development of Nigeria,” he said.
The minister promised to publish a comprehensive list of all ongoing and inherited roads across the six geopolitical zones.
“The facts are there, and Nigerians deserve to know the truth,” Umahi added.
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