We received the press statement credited to a coalition of student leaders and published on Tribune Online and other news outlets with deep surprise, especially given the volume of verifiable facts available in the public domain concerning the ongoing transformation of federal road infrastructure across Nigeria under the present administration.
“A coalition of Nigerian student leaders has commenced mobilization of students nationwide to protest what they described as deplorable condition of federal roads across the country and demanded the removal of the Minister of Works over alleged incompetence.”
While concerns about road safety are legitimate and shared by all responsible Nigerians, it is important to state clearly that the sweeping conclusions and demands contained in the statement are misleading, poorly contextualised, and ignore current realities.
From several quarters, including professional bodies, road users, host communities, state governments, and independent infrastructure observers, the Honourable Minister of Works has received consistent commendation for his hands-on approach, engineering depth, and unprecedented pace of intervention on federal highways nationwide. These praises are not political slogans; they are grounded in visible work on the ground.
It must also be emphasized that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is barely two years and a few months old. The deplorable condition of many federal highways did not originate under this government. What this administration has done differently is to confront years of neglect head-on, mobilize contractors back to site, redesign failed alignments, and restore highways that had virtually collapsed.
Today, almost all major federal highways across the six geopolitical zones are under active construction, rehabilitation, or reconstruction, with many completed and others already at advanced stages of completion.
Beyond road construction, the President, HE Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Honourable Minister of Works, HE Sen. David Umahi, CON also deserve recognition for introducing critical security innovations tied to highway safety, including CCTV monitoring centres, solar-powered street lighting, improved road furniture, and coordinated security measures aimed at protecting lives and property along major corridors. These interventions directly address the very safety concerns being raised.
Given these realities, it is difficult to ignore the possibility that the student leadership involved may either be poorly briefed on current developments or, more troubling, bankrolled and mobilised to deliberately blackmail the Honourable Minister with exaggerated and unpopular narratives. Either scenario does a disservice to genuine advocacy.
In the South East alone, several critical federal roads are actively progressing. Notably are the roads mentioned in their statement, the Enugu–Onitsha Expressway, Onitsha–Owerri Road, and the Enugu–Port Harcourt Expressway have all reached advanced stages of completion, with visible improvements already easing travel time, safety, and economic movement. These are not abandoned projects; they are active sites with measurable progress.
These observations are not speculative. They are made with first-hand, verified information. As the Coordinator, Field Supervisor (South East) Federal Ministry of Works, I am directly saddled with the responsibility of tracking ongoing projects, monitoring contractors, and submitting progress reports within the zone. I also interface regularly with national reports, giving me a clear picture of project status both within the South East and across the country.
Constructive engagement is welcomed, but it must be anchored on facts and fairness. Nigeria needs accountability, yes, but it also needs honesty and responsibility in public discourse, especially from groups whose voices carry influence.
History will judge performance by work done.
Francis Nwaze, FIPMD
COORDINATOR, FMW FIELD SUPERVISORS (SOUTH EAST)
January 27, 2026
