Nigeria’s Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has defended the Tinubu administration’s infrastructure programme, describing road construction as essential to economic growth and national integration.
Speaking in a video shared by Vanguard Newspaper on X on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, Umahi commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s investment in infrastructure. He also acknowledged former Senate President David Mark, saying he had initially praised the administration’s achievements before making remarks that drew criticism.
Referring to Mark’s reported comment, “Is it road that we’ll chop?”, Umahi said the statement undermined the former Senate President’s earlier position and explained why the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, responded to him.
Umahi argued that roads are the backbone of the economy, stressing that communities become isolated without functional transport links. “When the road is cut off, the person is practically imprisoned because movement from one place to another becomes impossible,” he said.
He added that the federal government’s road projects are intended to connect states, reduce travel time, strengthen economic activity, and improve national integration by bringing communities closer together.
