TDF Commends Tinubu’s Trans-Saharan Superhighway, Says Project Will Unlock South-East Trade Potential
Oru Leonard
The Democratic Front (TDF), has applauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for opening up the South-East region to vast trade and economic opportunities through the ongoing construction of the 123.6-kilometre Trans-Saharan Superhighway.
The group described the N668 billion highway project, which stretches from Ebonyi State through parts of the South-South and North-Central regions, including Benue, Kogi and Nasarawa states, as a landmark infrastructure initiative with the potential to transform commerce and regional connectivity.
In a statement jointly signed by its Chairman, Mallam Danjuma Muhammad, and Secretary, Chief Wale Adedayo, TDF said the project demonstrates President Tinubu’s strategic vision for national development and economic integration.
According to the group, while several road projects are currently underway in the South-East, the scale, cost and economic significance of the superhighway make it one of the most consequential infrastructure investments ever undertaken in the region.
TDF noted that the Minister of Works, David Umahi, had revealed that the highway was originally conceived during the colonial era but remained unexecuted for decades due to funding challenges and lack of political will.
The organisation stated that beyond enhancing trade and economic activities, the highway would improve interstate transportation, facilitate the movement of goods and people, and strengthen social and cultural ties among communities across the connected states.
.The group further argued that the Tinubu administration has consistently prioritised the development of the South-East since assuming office, citing the establishment of the South East Development Commission (SEDC) and the provision of an initial N140 billion take-off grant to address longstanding developmental challenges in the region.
TDF observed that the South-East has for decades demanded greater federal attention following the end of the Nigerian Civil War and said recent interventions by the current administration have surpassed efforts made by previous governments.
The group praised President Tinubu for what it described as an equitable distribution of developmental projects across the country, irrespective of political considerations.
It also credited the administration’s economic reforms, including the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of foreign exchange rates, for creating the fiscal space necessary to undertake major infrastructure projects.
TDF called on residents of the South-East to continue supporting the Federal Government, expressing confidence that sustained backing would ensure the timely completion of the Trans-Saharan Superhighway and other ongoing development projects in the region.
