The Minister of Works and former Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umah has disclosed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ended days of political marginalization of the southeast.

Umahi, speaking in Aba, the commercial nerve of Abia State after he inspected some of the ongoing road construction projects in some parts of the state, awarded by the federal government, said that the people of the southeast have never had the opportunity that they are enjoying under President Tinubu during previous administrations in the country.

According to the Works Minister, apart from ongoing works scattered across the Southeast under the current administration, the President through his appointments of southeast sons and daughters into positions of trust in his government has shown that he is a true leader, unifier and detribalized leader who puts national unity and inclusivity when making his choices.

Umahi while thanking the President for appointing an Igbo son as one of the newly Army chiefs, said that the Igbos have never had It this good under previous administrations.

He said “Southeast is being integrated into the mainstream development of this country. It shows that we have been moved in by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The governor believed in the President, that is why he is in a haste to develop Abia.

“The days of marginalization of the Southeast are gone. We are getting what we have not been getting before; we never had Minister of Works.

“Just few days ago, Service Chiefs were changed, southeast was not left out. The President in his magnanimity also gave us the Chief of Air Staff. What we are saying is that, in the comity of the Nigerian society, is that the Southeast should be treated fairly and with respect.

“I can assure you that, there is no part of the Southeast that mega project from the federal government is not going on.

“There is nothing Southeast will get if we don’t come together, setting aside sentiments to move our people to the center. That is what I know that the governors in the Southeast are doing now, better than the time we (former governors) served. They are going to take the Southeast, straight to the center.

“Politics is about development and when you see somebody who is developing his people, you know that he is a true leader. Abia has never had it like this before and that is

President Tinubu is an infrastructure god.

“The man that God brought to right the wrongs in Nigeria and to help us take back our country. You can see all the indices of development, you can see that inflation has dropped to 18 percent. You can see our foreign reserve rising to $43billion.

“You can see the GDP growing over 43percent. We are grateful to God because no man speaks until God has spoken.

Let me assure you that whatever that is the need of the people of the Southeast, this our leaders are working on them ; they are working to ensure that we get what we never got before.

“Let us be supportive and avoid all these attacks. Let us know that we are people brought together by God. Let us know that we are known for hard work.

“The President in his magnanimity also gave us the Chief of Air Staff. What we are saying is that, in the comity of the Nigerian society, is that the Southeast should be treated fairly and with respect. I can assure you that, there is no part of the Southeast that mega project from the federal government is not going on.

“There is nothing Southeast will get if we don’t come together, setting aside sentiments to move our people to the center. That is what I know that the governors in the Southeast are doing now, better than the time we (former governors) served.

“They are going to take the Southeast, straight to the center. In Anambra State; the second Niger Bridge, 35km and bridges and flyovers worth N76billion with 30percent paid.

“You talk about Enugu-Onitsha road; the most important road in the Southeast, that job is going on with MTN Tax Credit worth N202billion. The rest of the road Is being done with concrete CBC N150Billion, 30percent already paid.

“On the Owerri-Onitsha road, a project is ongoing there. You talk about the Transhara road, which is one of the legacy projects of Mr. President, it is coming all the way from Calabar through Old Bende in Ohaozara-Afikpo, Ebonyi State to Benue, Kogi, Nasarawa and terminate in Abuja.

“What that means is that you will get to Abuja in less than 5hrs from anywhere in the Southeast. That is what the President is doing. If the Minister of Works is not from the Southeast, we will not get all these.

“The Umuahia-Aba is 112km. it is only remaining 4.5km to be completed and the governor has promised to provide the funds that will enable the completion of the project by December if the need be because he has trust in our President that he is a man of his words

“We have the Enugu-Abakiliki N183billion, it is ongoing. The Afikpo-Uturu-Okigwe 65km2;N193billion, the President is doing it.

“The governor is also talking to Dangote who is doing the road on Tax Credit. The Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene is still ongoing.

I want to assure Abians that, with the Governor taking the right of supervision of the Port Harcourt-Aba road, the completion is a thing that is concluded.

“I want to say that I am happy that the Southeast governors have taken the bull by the horn by knowing that the federal road is in your place. It is the responsibility of the governors to ensure that the welfare of the people is paramount; whether it is state or federal roads.

“Just like the governor of Abia, many of the governors are doing the same.

Commended the governor for completing and commissioned the Port Harcourt which the previous administration in the state failed to do even after they got approval from the federal government, but was never done. (The Nation)