TDF Praises Tinubu For Reviving Colonial-Era Superhighway Project
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TDF Praises Tinubu For Reviving Colonial-Era Superhighway Project
By Alabidun Shuaib AbdulRahman
The Democratic Front, TDF has commended President Bola Tinubu for what it described as a strategic effort to connect the South-East geopolitical zone to broader trade opportunities through the ongoing construction of a 123.6-kilometre superhighway linking the region with parts of the South-South and North-Central zones.
The group said the highway, which stretches from Ebonyi State through the South-South region to Benue, Kogi and Nasarawa states, would serve as a major economic corridor capable of boosting commerce and easing transportation across several parts of the country.
In a statement signed by its Chairman, Mallam Danjuma Muhammad, and Secretary, Chief Wale Adedayo at the weekend, the organisation described the project as one of the most significant infrastructure initiatives ever undertaken in the South-East, citing its scale, cost and economic importance.
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According to the group, the N668bn project would not only enhance trade activities in the region but also improve connectivity among states and foster national integration.
The statement quoted the Minister of Works, David Umahi, as saying that the superhighway was originally conceived during the colonial era but was abandoned by successive administrations due to a lack of political will and funding.
TDF stated, “Although the superhighway is not the only road currently under construction in the region, the scale and huge cost of the project, coupled with the economic relevance of that corridor to the people and commerce of the South-East, make it one of the most important infrastructural projects ever implemented by any government in the region.
“In addition to its economic and trade relevance to the South-East region, the highway will ease interstate vehicular movements for commuters and promote social and cultural interactions among Nigerians of different socio-cultural groups and creeds in the connected states.”
The group further maintained that the Tinubu administration had prioritised the development of the South-East since assuming office, pointing to the establishment of the South East Development Commission and the allocation of N140bn as an initial take-off grant for the agency.
According to TDF, the intervention is aimed at addressing developmental challenges that have persisted in the region since the end of the Nigerian Civil War in 1970.
The organisation argued that the volume of developmental projects executed in the South-East under the current administration had surpassed those of previous governments, while also praising Tinubu for what it described as an equitable distribution of projects across the country irrespective of political affiliations.
TDF attributed the administration’s ability to fund major infrastructure projects to ongoing economic reforms, including the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of foreign exchange rates, and urged residents of the South-East to continue supporting the Federal Government to ensure the timely completion of the superhighway and other projects in the region.
