The Federal Government has approved the extension of the Bodo–Bonny Road project by 8.7 kilometres, alongside the expansion of the Akwanga–Jos–Gombe–Maiduguri Road corridor, as part of renewed efforts to boost national connectivity and economic growth.

The Minister of Works, David Umahi, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja during a media briefing, stressing the administration’s commitment to expanding strategic infrastructure across the country, particularly in the Niger Delta and northern regions.

Umahi said the approvals were in line with the broader directive of President Bola Tinubu to fast-track critical road projects nationwide.

According to him, the President recently directed the Ministry of Works to extend the Bodo–Bonny Road by 8.7 kilometres using reinforced concrete pavement up to the East–West Road, describing the decision as a significant boost to economic activities in Rivers State and the wider South-South region.

“The extension will improve access to coastal communities, enhance regional integration, and stimulate economic development,” Umahi said, adding that the move reflected the administration’s resolve to sustain inherited projects and expand their scope where necessary.

He emphasised that no inherited project had been abandoned under the current administration, noting that President Tinubu had ordered the continuation of all ongoing road projects while approving extensions considered vital to national development.

The minister explained that the government was prioritising durability in road construction through the use of reinforced concrete technology, which he said could guarantee a lifespan of between 50 and 100 years.

“Nigerians deserve infrastructure that will stand the test of time and deliver value for money,” he stated.

Umahi also described the Akwanga–Jos–Gombe–Maiduguri Road as one of President Tinubu’s legacy projects, revealing that the President had approved a dual approach to its execution, with construction starting simultaneously from Akwanga and from Maiduguri through Gombe and Bauchi.

In addition, the minister expressed concern over widespread vandalisation of public infrastructure, warning that the destruction of road assets posed a serious threat to the sustainability of government investments.

He cited instances of damaged installations, illegal mining activities around bridges, and the blockage of drainage systems with refuse, which he said had contributed to flooding and structural failures in several areas.

“The flooding we witnessed in many places was largely due to blocked underground channels. People dump waste inside manholes, and this has serious consequences,” Umahi said.

He urged Nigerians to take collective responsibility for protecting public infrastructure, stressing that repeated repairs due to vandalism were costly and unsustainable.

“This infrastructure belongs to all of us. If we fail to protect it, we will continue to spend scarce resources on avoidable repairs,” he warned.

Umahi reaffirmed that the Ministry of Works was operating within available resources to deliver quality projects with transparency and accountability, while commending President Tinubu for sustaining and expanding road projects despite fiscal constraints and the poor state of infrastructure inherited from previous administrations.