FG directs Opening Enugu Onitsha Highway Before Easter Festival

From Nabob Ogbonna, Abakaliki

The Federal Government has directed the reopening of a 15 km stretch of the Enugu–Onitsha highway to ease traffic challenges for motorists plying the route in the South-East.
The Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, announced this during an inspection tour of ongoing federal road projects in Enugu State.
He said the reopening would take place before the Easter festival.
He attributed the progress of the project to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s infrastructure drive, noting that the Enugu–Onitsha and Enugu–Port Harcourt corridors remain among the most strategic routes in the South-East.
“I have given the controller the authority that by the 31st or before, he should call the press to open this road and inform the people of the South-East. Let them know that this road is open for travel, and that will be our Easter celebration,” Umahi said.
The minister expressed optimism that ongoing reconstruction efforts would permanently reverse the trend of traffic congestion and accidents along the route, stressing that complaints about bad roads are becoming a thing of the past.
“Now, this route—the Enugu–Onitsha expressway—you recall that when we came on board, every day people were talking about this road. There were many tanker accidents, and many lives were lost. But my joy is that this is now a thing of the past, because the President has swung into action,” he stated.
He added that the shift in construction approach is intended to enhance road longevity and reduce maintenance costs.
Addressing concerns over project costs, Umahi clarified that the Ministry of Works does not unilaterally determine project pricing, noting that approvals pass through multiple regulatory layers, including the Bureau of Public Procurement and the Federal Executive Council.
“I am not the final authority when it comes to the cost of a project. There are layers of approval, including the Bureau of Public Procurement, which has its own standards—not mine,” he explained.
He maintained that the standard being applied on the Enugu–Onitsha project is consistent with that used for major road projects across the country.
“The same road architecture is being used for the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway and the Sokoto–Badagry Super Highway. There is no discrimination; under the President, everyone is treated equally,” Umahi added.