(SINL NIGERIA) The Minister of Works, David Umahi on Thursday lambasted President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s critics, saying they are jealous of the president’s performance.
Umahi made this known while briefing newsmen in Abuja.
Speaking on the controversy surrounding the Lagos-Calabar coastal project, Umahi said the criticism is “borne out of envy and jealousy”.
He said the President had a dream 25 years ago as a governor and then “God gave him the divine opportunity to actualize the dream.
“There is envy and jealous. The people that envy him never believe that he can turn around the economy. And it takes God for him to turn around, adding “there’s no decision taken by the president that has ever failed, including this tax reform bill”.
According to him, when people stop the suspicion and digest the coastal road project very well, they will know it’s a catalyst for the growth of every state in this country.
Talking of the controversy on the diversion of the road, he said when they got to kilometer 16, where we have the African cable that came from the ocean and we have the MTM cable, “if we continue on that axis on kilometer 16, we’ll be destroying that cable.
“You were witnesses of the fact that there was a time we had problem of network from West African coast, then no network was working.
‘So, what people are doing is that there’s little patriotism in this country. It is safer, better and cheaper for me to go along that coast.
“But it is very terrible for not only in Nigeria, but other West African countries where these cables are passing through. So, we had to divert the route at kilometer 16 and then we reappeared in kilometer 24.
“Unfortunately for these people that are talking, it is bare land, no houses are there. Even the Oba of Lagos’ land is affected. And he spoke to the president. President said, no, Oba, it is for development. So, if Oba can give his empty land, who else?
“Those who are fighting for this land are not even the Indigenes of Lagos, even though it doesn’t matter. But you can’t be more Catholic than Pope.
No structure was demolished. They will say, oh, they put sharp sand on this.
“So it’s a bare land. I know the woman behind it. There’s nothing she has not been talking, playing all kinds of politics. But I’m equal to the task; I’m a man of courage. We are passing that road there and nothing will stop it.
Umahi expressed happiness over interaction with the Senate Committee on Works for supporting the president, adding that they see the good work the president is doing.
In particular, he praised the Chairman, Senate Committee on Works, Senator Mpigi Barinada, a PDP senator for moving s motion that President Bola Tinubu must continue in 2027 so that he can complete all these projects.
He (Mpigi ) was not sure if any other president will have the courage to complete these project, adding that “I’m very much happy because we are on the same platform pushing these contractors on the heritage projects to see that these projects are completed.
“It’s very rare for a president to agree to continue the whole project of his predecessor.
The Minister frowned at some contractors he accused of playing “politics of money and no work”, who he is fighting.
“You know I’m David, David fought many wars. So I’m not giving up. I’m fighting and I’m fighting very, very seriously. We’re fighting through stakeholders, fighting through you press, but I will not give up because the man behind us, the Asiwaju of this world is a man of courage. And when he appoints you, he gives you all the backing, he gives you all the support to succeed. That’s why I will not give up. I will continue. So far, he has not told me to mellow down on our push to get value for money. We will not. And he is the number one stakeholder. So if it’s not meddling with the affairs of the Minister of Works, no other person will be qualified to meddle with the Minister of Works in terms of getting these contractors back to work to complete the projects they have collected money for.
On indigenous contractors, Umahi said that is another chapter that the president is going to enact, adding that Tinubu has directed that “we give support to serious indigenous contractors, because “some of these expatriate contractors have up to 20 projects; they have no equipment, they have no personnel.
