Ohanaeze Ndígbo Worldwide has urged President Bola Tinubu to urgently release funds to the office of Senator David Umahi, to enable him to replicate his Ebonyi infrastructural magic as Minister of Works.
Secretary-General of the group, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, stated this yesterday in a statement made available to Journalists.
The group further appealed to President Tinubu that instead of waiting for a supplementary budget to be passed, the Ministry could be funded by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
Adding, “Infrastructural Development is a key driver of economic growth and development due to its multiplier effect across all sectors of the Nigerian Society, especially with regards to cushioning the dire effects of Subsidy Removal. Instead of waiting till a supplementary budget is passed, the Ministry of Works can be immediately funded through other sources such as funding from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation ( NNPC).
“However, Ohanaeze Ndígbo wishes to appeal to the President to ensure immediate release of funds through a special purpose vehicle to the ministry, in order to ensure that the Ministry’s plan of embarking on large scale road rehabilitation during the forthcoming dry season is not hindered by lack of funds. We are aware of the fact that most Ministers presently face paucity of funds since their predecessors left virtually nothing behind from the 2023 budget passed under Buhari.
Ohanaeze expressed satisfaction with the positive impact Senator Umahi had since his assumption of office as Minister of Works.
The group described him as a square peg in a square hole.
Stating, “Immediately on assumption of office and in realization of the fact that Nigerians are impatient to feel the positive impact of his principal’s Fresh Hope Agenda, Umahi swung into action, traversing the six geo-political zones of Nigeria to carry out on the spot assessment and field evaluation of Federal roads. From the South West, he moved to the North Central and then the South East.
“Wherever he goes, Nigerians commend the President for the appointment of a competent engineer as Minister of Works since several past administrations appointed just anybody into that all-important ministry on the fallacious excuse that professional competence does not matter.
“This equally is what you get when a professional who has the commensurate administrative qualifications is given an opportunity to get things done.
“Listening to his speeches, his professional competence is evident, as he is in familiar terrain while interacting with fellow engineers on site like he has done steadily for over three decades”.