TDF Hails Tinubu Over Trans-Sahara Superhighway, South-East Development Initiatives

The Democratic Front (TDF), a pro-democracy think tank, has commended President Bola Tinubu for advancing economic development in the South-East through the ongoing construction of the 123.6-kilometre Trans-Sahara Superhighway.

The group described the N668 billion highway project, which traverses Ebonyi State and connects parts of the South-South with Benue, Kogi and Nasarawa states in the North-Central region, as a major milestone in the administration’s commitment to inclusive national development.

In a statement issued on Friday by its Chairman, Malam Danjuma Muhammad, and Secretary, Wale Adedayo, TDF said the project reflected the President’s vision of expanding economic opportunities and strengthening national integration through strategic infrastructure.

According to the group, while several road projects are currently underway in the South-East, the scale and economic significance of the Trans-Sahara Superhighway place it among the most impactful infrastructure projects ever executed in the region.

TDF noted that the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, had revealed that the highway was originally conceived during the colonial era but was abandoned by successive administrations due to funding constraints and lack of political will.

The group said the project would not only boost economic activities in the South-East but also improve interstate transportation, facilitate trade, and foster social and cultural interactions among communities across the affected states.

It further stated that President Tinubu had consistently prioritised the development of the South-East since assuming office, citing the establishment of the South East Development Commission (SEDC) as one of the administration’s landmark interventions.

According to TDF, the commission received N140 billion as take-off funding to address longstanding developmental challenges in the region.

The group recalled that demands for increased federal attention to the South-East had persisted since the end of the Nigerian Civil War in 1970, adding that recent interventions demonstrated a renewed commitment to addressing the region’s developmental needs.

TDF maintained that the volume of development projects currently being implemented in the South-East had surpassed those of previous administrations.

It praised the President for what it described as an equitable distribution of development projects across the country, irrespective of political considerations.

The group also linked the government’s expanding infrastructure programme to economic reforms introduced under the Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of foreign exchange rates.

According to TDF, the reforms have enhanced government revenue and created the fiscal space required to fund critical infrastructure projects nationwide.

It urged residents of the South-East to continue supporting the administration to ensure the timely completion of the Trans-Sahara Superhighway and other ongoing development projects in the region.