By Blessing Idika
The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has said that the N800 billion captured in the 2025 budget proposal of his ministry for road infrastructure is not enough
Umahi,who appeared before the House of Representatives Committee on Works on Friday,appealed to the committee to help by raising it to enable him address the nation’s road needs.
“We plead with you to help us. N800 billion cannot do anything for us. It cannot address our road needs, and so we plead with you to help us,” Umahi begged when he appeared before the committee on Friday to defend his ministry’s 2025 budget.
He emphasised the need for adequate funding to enable the ministry to complete ongoing projects and initiate new ones across the country.
The minister explained that the scope of road projects he intends to undertake cannot be achieved with the “meagre budget allocation,” pointing out that borrowing funds to address Nigeria’s infrastructure deficit is crucial for the nation’s progress.
According to him,, “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.
“Food sellers, sand suppliers, gravel workers, and others will benefit. Support Mr. President, and let’s borrow money to build infrastructure so Nigeria can be great again. “
Fielding questions from members of the committee on the state of roads nationwide, the minister reiterated the government’s commitment to completing ongoing road projects.
On his part, the Chairman of the Committee, Akin Alabi, promised to summon the Minister of Finance and the Head of the Budget Office to explain the rationale behind the ministry’s low budget allocation.
