Umahi: We need good roads — kidnappers abduct Nigerians on failed portions

David Umahi, minister of works, says most kidnappings on the highway happen at the failed portions of the road.

Umahi spoke on Wednesday when he appeared before the house of representatives committee on appropriations to defend the ministry’s N300 billion proposed in the 2023 supplementary budget.

The minister said without good roads, agricultural revolution and other development projects would be affected.

“Roads have a lot to do with our revolution, security and to reset the country,” he said.

“(Good) road has the ability to reset security. And the kidnappings that are happening all over the country, most of them happen where the roads have failed.

“Right now, the economy of our states is in jeopardy because most of our interstate movement is very difficult now.

“I travelled from Abuja to Benin — I spent 14 hours on the road, not due to the inability of the ministry of works but due to inappropriate funding.”

Umahi said the national assembly “must wear a thinking cap” to come up with ways that road funding can be addressed.

The lawmaker said the national assembly should create a “contingency fund” that the federal government can utilise to cater to interventions demanded by the parliament through motion.

“We appeal to you to give us contingency fund with respect to (your) motions and directive,” he said.

‘WE’LL COMPLETE FCT ROADS BEFORE END OF DRY SEASON’ — WIKE

Meanwhile, Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), said he is working to ensure that most road projects in the nation’s capital are completed before the end of the dry season.

Wike said there are several complaints of poor basic infrastructure, insecurity and “docileness” in the FCT.

He said N3.4 billion out of the N100 billion budgeted for FCT would be used to support security, including buying vehicles for security agencies.

“All the security agencies have complained of lack of vehicles and logistics,” he said.

“We believe that before we enter the rainy season next year, the infrastructure of roads will have been completed.”

The minister also said he would deliver the Abuja rail project to decongest the road traffic in the city.

“When I came on board, Mr president directed  — on the day the Nigerian Bar Association held their conference — that he wants to ride on this metro line at least in his one year in office which is a major if we can achieve it and which we think with your support we are going to achieve it,” he said.

Muktar Betara, chairman of the committee on FCT, said since Wike assumed office “a lot of people have seen that FCT is changing”.

“Roads in FCT are now different from the FCT that we know,” he said.

“You assured us in the last meeting we had together that by March/April next year, we are going to see a lot of things in FCT.”

Abubakar Bichi, chairman of the committee on appropriations, said the supplementary budget is “specifically structured” to improve the country’s security, food security, and critical road infrastructure sectors.

Bichi added that the budget would also help to bridge the housing deficit in the country, including slum upgrades and urban renewal.

“It will also support the provisional wage to workers and cash transfers to vulnerable Nigerians. It will also cater to the upcoming off-cycle elections in Kogi, Bayelsa and Imo States,” he said.