The Apex Igbo Socio-Cultural Organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has responded to allegations made by one Muhammad Jamil, also known as Jadda Garko.
Jamil had alleged that the Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, is guilty of inequity in the allocation of road and bridge projects across Nigeria.
In response to the allegations, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, in a statement by its Secretary General, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, said the comments of Jamil are baseless.
Part of the statement read: “Senator Umahi has been dedicatedly executing the mandates bestowed upon him by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Federal Executive Council, working tirelessly to fulfill the Renewed Hope Agenda aimed at transforming Nigeria’s infrastructural landscape for the betterment of all citizens.
“It is incumbent upon us to articulate that the Northern region is not merely a beneficiary but, indeed, the largest beneficiary of President Tinubu’s infrastructural initiatives, receiving a greater share of road and bridge projects than the Southern region.
“Our assertion is grounded in verified empirical data, refuting the claims of disparity that have been irresponsibly propagated by dissenting parties. The rhetoric of inequity has no place amidst the facts that illuminate the government’s commitment to equitable distribution of resources and services.
“As we dissect the unfolding narrative, it becomes evident that these allegations stem from disenchanted individuals who have historically profited from the Nigerian project through opaque and corrupt practices.
“The likes of Mr. Jamil, among others, who have failed to meet their contractual obligations in the past, now seek to masquerade as champions of equity after years of benefiting from a system they now critique.
“Their attempts to exploit the sentiments of concerned Nigerians during this crucial period of infrastructural renewal are not only disingenuous but reflect an insidious inclination toward creating divisiveness in an otherwise cohesive narrative of national development.
“Recent data unequivocally illustrates the breadth of progress under Senator Umahi’s leadership, with *2,735 kilometers* of road projects actively under construction. Of these, a substantial *1,414 kilometers (52%)* are allocated to the Northern region, as opposed to *1,321 kilometers (48%)* designated for the Southern region.
“Such discernible and quantifiable distribution is a testament to a dispassionate assessment of the nation’s infrastructural demands and priorities, favouring no region over another.”
The group stated that out of 82 ongoing Sukuk-funded projects, 45 are ongoing in the Northern region while the Southern region has 37.
For emergency road projects, the group stated that among the 260 emergency projects, 108 are situated in the Southern region, while 98 are in the Northern region.
On road tax credit scheme projects, the group stated that the distribution further confirms 23 projects for the Northern region, while there are 21 for the South.
“The transparency and accountability instituted by Senator Umahi within the Ministry of Works cannot be overstated.
“His tenure has heralded a new era marked by improved fiscal management, judicious resource allocation, and contracts awarded to reputable contractors, thereby setting a standard that dismantles the inefficiencies of bygone administrations,” Ohanaeze Ndigbo concluded.
