Tinubu Asked Me to Build More Roads Despite Calls for My Sack – Umahi

Minister of Works, David Umahi, has revealed that President Bola Tinubu encouraged him to remain focused on delivering road infrastructure despite mounting criticism and repeated calls from some quarters for his removal from office. Umahi said the President's instruction was simple: continue building quality roads that improve the lives of Nigerians rather than be distracted by political attacks.

Speaking during an inspection of ongoing federal road projects, Umahi said Tinubu remained committed to his administration's infrastructure agenda and had consistently urged him to prioritise project delivery. According to the minister, the President told him to ignore distractions and concentrate on completing strategic highways across the country.

Umahi noted that the administration's road projects are creating thousands of jobs, stimulating economic activities and opening up communities previously cut off by poor infrastructure. He maintained that the projects are not only improving transportation but also helping to address insecurity by making remote areas more accessible to security agencies.

The minister dismissed criticisms surrounding the execution of some flagship projects, insisting that all decisions on alignments and construction standards were based on engineering assessments and national interest. He assured Nigerians that President Tinubu's legacy road projects, including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Calabar-Abuja Superhighway, would be completed as scheduled.

Umahi reaffirmed his commitment to delivering the President's infrastructure vision, saying the Federal Ministry of Works would continue to prioritise quality, transparency and timely completion of projects across the country. He added that the administration remains focused on using road infrastructure to drive economic growth, improve connectivity and enhance national development.