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Umahi Inaugurates Newly Completed Sections Of Enugu-Onitsha Road.
The Minister of Works, David Umahi, on Thursday commissioned completed sections of the Enugu–Onitsha Expressway, calling the project a major milestone for transportation and economic growth in Nigeria’s Southeast.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Umahi highlighted the poor state of the road before the current administration, noting that travel between Enugu and Onitsha often took over seven hours due to years of neglect and stalled construction.
“This is the most important route in the Southeast,” he said, explaining that the project, initially awarded before 2023, was largely abandoned for nearly eight years with minimal progress.
He noted that the road was originally handled under a tax credit arrangement involving MTN and RCC Construction but stalled until President Bola Tinubu intervened, accelerating work and redesigning key sections.
The federal government reviewed the original ₦202 billion contract, retaining part of it while designating a 72-kilometre stretch for reconstruction using reinforced concrete, valued at about ₦150 billion and built to standards similar to the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway. The total reconstruction cost of the Enugu–Onitsha road is now estimated at over ₦350 billion.
Umahi reported that the first 15 kilometres of the concrete section is nearly complete (97%) and has been opened to traffic for Easter. Another 18-kilometre stretch toward Anambra State and a 39-kilometre segment from the Niger Bridge are under construction. Asphalt sections are being upgraded to concrete to ensure durability, as concrete roads can last 50–100 years with minimal maintenance.
He said once completed, roughly 50% of the highway will be concrete, significantly improving durability and lowering long-term costs.
Beyond this project, Umahi highlighted other federal infrastructure works in the Southeast, including sections of the Enugu–Port Harcourt Expressway, dualisation of the Enugu–Abakaliki road, upgrades to the Afikpo–Abia–Okigwe corridor, and improvements along the Aba–Port Harcourt road. Access roads and bypasses linked to the Second Niger Bridge, flyovers, and interchanges are also underway. Collapsed bridges along the Enugu–Onitsha route have been rebuilt and equipped with solar-powered lighting.
He also mentioned large-scale national projects, like the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway and a proposed corridor connecting Calabar through Ebonyi and Benue to Abuja, which would cut travel time between the Southeast and the FCT.
Addressing concerns over abandoned projects, Umahi insisted that work is ongoing at multiple sites and urged the public to rely on verified information. He clarified that the proposed eastern rail corridor (Port Harcourt to Maiduguri) falls under the Ministry of Transportation and is currently in procurement stages.
Umahi called on political leaders in the Southeast to support the Tinubu administration, stressing that governance should be measured by development outcomes and infrastructure delivery.
He assured that the Enugu–Onitsha road will be fully completed by 2026, promising it will transform mobility, improve safety, and stimulate economic growth in the region.
“This project will change the story of transportation in the Southeast. What you see today is just the beginning,” he said.
The 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) began nationwide on Thursday, with over 2.2 million candidates expected to participate across accredited centres.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The exam, conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), will run from April 16 to April 22 in multiple daily sessions.
JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, urged examination officials to remain highly committed and professional, noting that the success of the exercise depends largely on their dedication.
He gave the charge during a virtual final briefing for technical officers ahead of the examination, where he also praised staff, ad hoc personnel, service providers, and technical advisers for their roles in the successful conduct of the mock exam.
Oloyede said many of the issues recorded during the mock exercise were due to poor assessment of centres by some technical officials.
He further stated that incentive packages would be awarded to teams that perform exceptionally, particularly in handling exam materials and submitting timely reports.
Reiterating JAMB’s zero-tolerance stance on malpractice, he warned candidates against bringing prohibited items into examination halls.
He also disclosed that biometric verification and real-time monitoring systems have been deployed to protect the integrity of the exercise.
Candidates whose biometrics cannot be verified, he added, will be rescheduled to write the exam at approved centres.
Meanwhile, a NAN correspondent monitoring proceedings at Aduvie International School, Jahi, reported that the first session scheduled for 8:30 a.m. began slightly behind schedule at about 8:40 a.m.
The Commissioner of Police for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), CP Ahmed Muhammed Sanusi, on Thursday inspected security deployments at Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres across Abuja.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
According to the FCT Police Command spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, the inspection is part of proactive measures to ensure a smooth, peaceful, and hitch-free conduct of the ongoing examinations.
The UTME is scheduled to run nationwide from April 16 to 18, 2026.
During the exercise, CP Sanusi assessed security arrangements put in place to safeguard candidates, examination officials, and CBT facilities.
He also engaged with centre supervisors, assuring them of adequate security presence throughout the examination period.
Adeh added that the CP reaffirmed the command’s commitment to maintaining law and order, warning that any attempt to disrupt the examinations would be met with decisive action in line with the law.
Over 700 former terrorists who have undergone deradicalisation and rehabilitation are set to be reintegrated into their communities.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The Nigerian military has also dismissed reports alleging that beneficiaries of Operation Safe Corridor are being recruited into military institutions.
According to African Independent Television, the Coordinator of Operation Safe Corridor, Brigadier-General Yusuf Ali, made this known during a media tour of the Deradicalisation, Rehabilitation and Reintegration Centre in Gombe, North-East Nigeria.
He said many Nigerians still misunderstand the Federal Government’s structured counter-terrorism initiative, which is designed to restore peace in communities affected by insurgency.
Brigadier-General Ali explained that the programme focuses on rehabilitation and peaceful reintegration of repentant individuals into society.
During the tour, some of the participants also shared accounts of their involvement in offences that led to their admission into the programme.
The facility inspection was part of preparations for the graduation of over 700 clients who have completed the deradicalisation and rehabilitation process and are set for reintegration.
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