By Abiola Olawale
The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has emerged under public scrutiny as several Nigerians have begun to demand comprehensive status and updates on the Benin-Ekpoma-Auchi-Okpella-Okene-Lokoja road project.
This is as the Minister had in March promised that the Benin-Lokoja road would be completed in six months.
Umahi, in March 2024, declared that the Federal Government, under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, had devised methods to finish the road, which was awarded in 2012, within six months.
Following the expiration of the time frame given by the Minister, several Nigerians have taken to their social media accounts to demand status about the completion of the project.
Below are some of the reactions curated from social media:
“Mr. Umahi, minister of works made this promise in March, 2024. Six months later, the promise remains as vacuous as it ever was. But Nigerian journalists do not even remember that beyond peddling press releases which make these bogus promises, they also ought to interrogate politicians. According to Sonala Olumhense, “A journalist does not have an obligation to report any story, but if they do, they are in debt and must provide the follow-up: What happened?”
Nigeria’s media is a reflection of its elite. We are way too lazy to robustly interrogate our leaders…and the politicians are smart enough to know this.”(@Ehi Okoruwa)
“They’re still in the Spirit and trying to manifest it in the physical.”(@Amaechi Andrew)
“We pause every project for now…
We are busy with coastal road.”(@Ukwueze Amechi)
“Work was going on at different portions of d road at a time. The sad aspect was that they suspended most of d contract on that road when they came in 2015 and now we hear only promises. The same goes for most of the roads I know.
Now suddenly they are building coastal roads, Lagos to Calabar and Badagry to Sokoto!🙄🙄🙄”(@Uche Nkeonye)
