The Honourable Minister of Works, David Umahi has reiterated the determination of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in fixing the ailing road infrastructure across Nigeria.
According to the Minister, the President’s intervention on the road infrastructure deficit in the country was part of his roadmap towards revamping the economy of the nation.
Umahi in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary Uchenna Orji stated this when he received Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello and the newly elected Governor of the State Ahmed Usman Ododo in his office.
Umahi lauded the Governor’s will to seek Federal Government’s intervention on the road infrastructure challenges in his State. He then assured the governor that the Kogi Federal Highway was part of the Federal roads listed for palliative intervention by Mr President.
“The Kogi Federal Highway was part of the Federal roads listed for palliative intervention by Mr President .I want to assure you that Mr President has instructed our Ministry to go and start that portion of the road and you will soon see a lot of concrete structures on a number of sections of that road that are challenged”.
Umahi also thanked the Governor for his commitment to the ideals of All Progressives Congress (APC) and for his doggedness that saw the Party through in the recently concluded Governorship election in Kogi.
According to Umahi, the victory was a testimony of the good works of the Governor and the acceptability of the rulling Party by the people of the State.
“I thank you for being nationalistic I know a lot of South Easteners that have made your Cabinet, I also know a lot of people that had security challenges; that were kidnapped far away but you helped in rescuing them even across State”
The Minister however congratulated the Governor- Elect and charged him to be magnanimous with victory, cultivate leadership virtues, remember his route and remain steadfast with his party.
“Every young man entering a very high position like this is open to a lot of temptations. One admonition that guides me which I will share with you today is the fact that anyone who pays evil for the good done onto him, evil will not depart from his house.
He continued “ the teeth and the tongue often have misunderstanding but they live together, the Governor made a lot of enemies because of you, let these enemies reconcile with him through you, all what the Governor looks for from you is not money or position, all he looks for is respect and honour because to whom God has honoured man must honour the person.
Mr President has suffered all kinds of betrayals and if you have suffered betrayal you would feel it, and when Mr President sees a man that is on the part of betraying another, he will not be happy with such a person. If you follow the Governor he will guide you. If he trusted you to enthrone you, who else will he now trust again. He is a unique man and he is a man to emulate.”
Earlier, the Kogi State Governor extolled the Hon. Minister for the transformation and innovation he has brought on board to accomplish the Renewed Hope road infrastructure agenda of Mr President and the extra-ordinary passion with which he follows Mr President’s directives on road revolution.
“The very first day you resumed office that was the day you hit the ground running. You have been inspecting roads ever since then you are not resting, there was no budget, no money for you, yet we see work going on across the country. Contractors have returned back to site. Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) is working , you are also responding to calls and messages and you are so responsive , you are a leader that all of us are proud of.”
The Governor further said “I am here to principally show an appreciation to God Almighty and to show appreciation to my wonderful brother His Excellency Distinguished Senator David Umahi the former Governor of Ebonyi State and Minister of Works for all the assistance he rendered to us physically , spiritually, financially and infact in every way.
“I am introducing my next successor Hon. Ahmed Ododo to His Excellency. Ever since I joined the club of Governors you have been so distinguished. I came in as APC Governor, you were PDP Governor then, irrespective of our political parties , you proved to be an elder statesman.
“You are a politician but you are an elder statesman. You are always uniting the Governors across party line that was why it was easy for me to predict that you were going to join us because your mind is progressive; your mind is always progressive that was why you were able to govern Ebonyi State. With the little and meagre resources you turned the State around and Ebonyi is wearing a new look today. You mentor leaders that is why it is not surprising the assistance I received from you in coming up with another leader to take over from me in Kogi.”
The Governor continued; “Today you are in the Government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a Minister of Works with his Renewed Hope agenda, we are saying a very big thank you to you and may the good Lord protect you in the discharge of your responsibility as the Honourable Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.