Minister of Works, Umahi, Decries Inadequate Budget for Road Infrastructure
The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has expressed concerns over the ₦800 billion allocated to his ministry for road infrastructure in the proposed 2025 budget, stating that the amount is insufficient to address Nigeria’s road development needs.
Speaking during his appearance before the House of Representatives Committee on Works to defend the ministry’s budget, Umahi appealed for increased funding, emphasizing that the current allocation “cannot do anything meaningful.”
“We plead with you to help us. ₦800 billion cannot address our road needs, and so we plead with you to raise it,” Umahi said.
The minister highlighted the importance of adequate funding to complete ongoing road projects and initiate new ones, stressing that infrastructure development is essential for the nation’s economic growth.
“When the nation is in recession, you have to borrow money and invest in infrastructure. That is how you emerge from a recession. Infrastructure is a catalyst for economic activities, and this hunger we talk about will become a thing of the past,” Umahi explained.
He further outlined the multiplier effects of infrastructure development on the economy, noting that food vendors, construction workers, and material suppliers all stand to benefit.
Responding to lawmakers’ inquiries about the state of roads, Umahi assured them of the government’s commitment to completing ongoing projects.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Committee, Akin Alabi, assured that the committee would engage with the Minister of Finance and the Head of the Budget Office to discuss the rationale behind the ministry’s budgetary constraints.
Umahi’s call underscores the growing concern over the need for strategic investments in infrastructure to support Nigeria’s economic and social development.
