Former South-East spokesman of President Bola Tinubu’s campaign, Josef Onoh, has lauded the Minister of Works, Engr. Dave Umahi, for his prompt intervention and open engagement with Nigerians following concerns over the Shagamu-Benin Expressway bridge located at the Edo–Ondo boundary.
The development came after a viral video drew attention to severe damage on a section of the bridge, which led to the crash of a truck and triggered heavy traffic gridlock along the highway. Reacting swiftly, Umahi visited the site over the weekend and announced immediate remedial measures.
According to the minister, the bridge—constructed in 1981—had deteriorated with age. He recalled that a similar issue arose in 2024 but was quickly fixed, assuring that the present repair work would take no longer than 45 days to ensure the concrete sets properly. Work commenced earlier than the initially scheduled September 1 start date.
Umahi also expressed appreciation to the content creator who raised the alarm, stressing that President Tinubu is attentive to the state of Nigeria’s road and bridge infrastructure. He disclosed that over 30 bridge rehabilitation projects are currently ongoing across the country in 2025.
Apologizing to motorists and commuters, the minister promised that measures were being put in place to minimize inconvenience:
“I sincerely apologize to our brothers and sisters for the challenges they may face during this rehabilitation period. We will work closely with the Federal Road Safety Corps to manage traffic on a single carriageway to ease congestion,” Umahi said.
Commending Umahi’s leadership style, Onoh described the minister’s engagement with citizens as a model for other public officials.
“The engagement of citizens should never be viewed as hostility, especially when it concerns national development. One of the biggest challenges in Nigeria is the lack of effective communication, where constructive criticism is often mistaken for an attack. The minister has shown commendable leadership through his openness and swift response,” Onoh remarked.
He further urged government functionaries at all levels to adopt Umahi’s constructive approach by treating public concerns with maturity rather than defensiveness.
