Umahi directs immediate repair of Lafia-Makurdi road after Tinubu’s aborted Yelwata visit
Minister of Works David Umahi has directed the urgent deployment of engineers and officials from China Harbour Operations and Maintenance Company to address the severe flooding affecting the Abuja-Keffi-Akwanga-Lafia-Makurdi road.
The flooding, triggered by torrential rains, disrupted traffic and compelled President Bola Tinubu to cancel his visit to Yelwata, Benue State, where he intended to console residents mourning the tragic loss of over 100 lives.
Umahi expressed his discontent with the situation, stating it was “embarrassing” and criticized the private concessionaire responsible for maintaining the tolled road under the Highway Development and Management Initiative (HDMI) for their failure to prevent the flooding. “We know that the project has been completed and it is tolled, but unfortunately… there was a lot of debris that covered an existing culvert, and that led to flooding,” he explained.
In his statement, Umahi apologized to President Tinubu and the public for the inconveniences caused by the flooding, reinforcing the urgency of accountability.
“We deployed our officials and the concessionaire’s personnel who evacuated the debris, allowing floodwaters to drain. That section of the road has now been reinstated,” he confirmed.
He further instructed the company to investigate the cause of the flooding and establish a permanent fix, stressing, “Such lapses will no longer be tolerated on federal roads maintained by private operators.”
Umahi also lauded President Tinubu’s efforts to address the situation in Benue, noting, “His visit there has made a lot of impact in the lives of the people.”
In light of the ongoing challenges, the minister used the occasion to seek infrastructure financing partnerships, appealing to Citibank Nigeria Ltd to support significant federal road projects under the Renewed Hope Legacy Initiative.
“Your support will go a long way,” he emphasized during a meeting with Citibank’s Managing Director/CEO, Nneka Enwereji, who expressed admiration for the administration’s ambitious reforms.
“We are here to understand the specifics and explore how we can invest in projects that would make a positive impact on the country,” she stated.
Source: PUNCH
