Umahi: worst of economic reform pain over, Nigeria moving into prosperity

…rallies Kano for Tinubu, Yusuf’s second-term bids

…hails FG’s road projects, Kano’s cleanliness, inclusive governance
By Onu Okorie

Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, has declared that Nigeria is emerging from the most difficult phase of the Federal Government’s economic reforms, insisting that the sacrifices imposed by the policies are beginning to translate into infrastructure development and prospects for sustainable growth.
Umahi, who said “the worst is over,” urged Nigerians to remain patient with the reforms and back President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term to consolidate ongoing infrastructure projects and economic programmes.
The minister spoke on Tuesday at a Town Hall Meeting at the Coronation Hall in Kano, ahead of Wednesday’s commissioning of outstanding works on Section I, Lot 1 of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Expressway, covering the Zaria-Kano axis.
His comments came against the backdrop of the economic pressures that have followed major policy changes by the Tinubu administration, particularly the removal of petrol subsidy.
Umahi acknowledged that some of the decisions had been difficult for Nigerians but maintained that they were necessary to reposition the economy and create a more sustainable foundation for growth.
“The worst is over. The darkest part of the morning is the dawn. We are moving into prosperity as a result of the hard decisions occasioned by the reforms,” he said.
The minister argued that the results of the reforms were increasingly becoming visible through road construction and other development projects being implemented across the country.
He said continuity in government would provide an opportunity to complete ongoing projects, deepen economic reforms and consolidate what he described as the gains already recorded by the administration.
Umahi consequently called on the people of Kano and Nigerians generally to support Tinubu’s re-election bid, citing the administration’s infrastructure drive, economic reforms and development programmes.
The minister also threw his weight behind Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, for a second term, praising his leadership style, inclusiveness and efforts at maintaining peace and development in the state.
Umahi said he was particularly impressed by the level of cleanliness and orderliness he observed during his visit to Kano, describing the state as an example of the sanitation standards Nigerians should expect from government.
“I am yet to see another state that is beating Kano in cleanliness. In all the streets we passed through, you could pick a pin,” he said.
He also praised Yusuf for bringing together political leaders, former governors, prominent indigenes and other stakeholders despite political differences, saying such accommodation demonstrated commitment to the collective interest of Kano.
According to the minister, Nigerians should increasingly judge political leaders by their performance and ability to deliver development rather than merely by partisan considerations.
Umahi also advocated greater participation of engineers in political and administrative leadership, arguing that their technical training and problem-solving skills could strengthen governance and improve infrastructure delivery.
On the political disposition of the South-East towards the Tinubu administration, the minister rejected suggestions that the region was inherently opposed to the President.
He reaffirmed what he described as the South-East’s commitment to national unity and support for the administration, urging Nigerians to build political cooperation across regional and ethnic lines.
The minister said his experience in Kano, particularly the peaceful atmosphere, cleanliness and unity among stakeholders, had changed some of his impressions about the state and even made him reconsider his planned departure date.
Earlier, Governor Yusuf commended the Federal Government for its infrastructure interventions in Kano and other parts of the North-West, saying improved road networks would strengthen transportation, commerce and regional economic integration.
The governor described the scheduled commissioning of the completed works on the Zaria-Kano section of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Expressway as an important milestone in efforts to improve connectivity along one of the country’s major economic corridors.
Yusuf expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for the road projects and other Federal Government interventions in Kano State.
The Federal Ministry of Works said it remained committed to delivering durable, safe and quality road infrastructure across the country under the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.