Minister of Works, David Umahi, has expressed disappointment with the limited progress of federal infrastructure projects in Nigeria’s southwest, admitting that he feels “ashamed” about not doing enough for the region.

Speaking at a press conference on Friday while inspecting ongoing projects in the Southwest, Umahi responded to suggestions that the region had benefitted significantly from road development under the Tinubu administration — partly because the president hails from the Southwest.

According to the minister, ongoing federal road projects in the North-West far outweigh what is currently happening in the Southwest in both scope and investment.

“I disagree,” he said. “The Southwest in terms of infrastructure has not received the attention it should receive.

“If you look at the North-West, what I’m doing in the North-West is twice or even three times what I’m doing in the southwest. When people talk about the southwest, I feel ashamed that I have not done much. But don’t blame me, it’s not my fault. I need money to do it.”

The Minister specifically highlighted major corridors such as the Ibadan-Ife-Ilesha-Akure route as areas he had hoped to begin work on, but could not due to limited funding.

He also mentioned the recently awarded Shagamu-Ore road as one of the few active federal projects in the region, but rejected private sector proposals seeking to take it over under Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangements.

“I’m not happy that I’ve not started doing Ibadan-Ife-Ilesha-Akure. I’m not happy that I’m not yet doing that. Apart from the coastal highway that is passing through many states, I cannot point out any major road project that is in the Southwest. Maybe the recently awarded Shagamu-Ore that PPP people are saying I should give to them. It amounts to committing suicide for me to give out the only major project that is going on in the Southwest and then I give it to you on PPP and I’ve not seen the money, I’ve not seen the equipment, I’ve not seen the experience.”

Melissa Enoch

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