KEY POINTS

• Umahi says road projects has an N800 billion budget, adding that it is inadequate.
• Borrowing for administration and critical infrastructure, and economic growth.
• House Committee on Works to summon finance officials to allay funding fears.

The minister of works, Dave Umahi, has described N800 billion earmarked for his ministry in the 2025 fiscal budget as insignificant to address the nation’s critical road infrastructure gaps.

Dave Umahi made this known at a budget defense session of the House of Assembly Committee on Works on Friday.

The need for more funding

As testimony of the effectiveness often in raising local government resources, we build on a decade of success for hundreds of schools across the state.

The two term Ebonyi state governor, Umahi, urged the committee to revise upwards the allocation since the current amount could only make a dent in the country’s problematics road infrastructure which he described in words.

Only begging you to help us. There is nothing that N800 billion can do for your people. We cannot fix our road needs, so we beg of you to help us,” he said.

In calling for more serious funding to finish what is ongoing in the country, and kickstart new programmes to boost national growth, he underscored the need for adequate infrastructure investment.

Economistic usages of infrastructure

Moreover, as part of stimulating economic activities and helping the nation out of economic hardship, the minister said borrowing to finance infrastructure projects is a good option.

Infrastructure is something you do when the nation is in recession and you have to borrow money. Umahi said these types of pipelines will serve to catalyze economic activities and create jobs and improve food supply chain.

Furthermore, on the role of infrastructure in changing the outlook of the business of food sellers, gravel suppliers and sand miners, he said lawmakers should support President Bola Tinubu’s administration in getting what it should get in terms of funding for road projects.

Legislative response

Chairman of the House Committee on Works, Akin Alabi, however, responded in a bid to support Umahi’s cause by making reference to the importance of the appeal and pledged to invite the Minister of Finance and Head of the Budget Office to explain the rationale behind allocating a low budget to the ministry.

Alabi assured and said “we will engage with relevant stakeholders to address these concerns and have the ministry get adequate funding, but at no time did I ever think we should put that before that the law”.