Tinubu breaks South-East road jinx as FG bans mining near bridges

The Honourable Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, has declared that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has effectively broken the long-standing jinx of failed and abandoned road contracts in the South-East region of Nigeria.

He also expressed satisfaction with the contractors handling the Enugu–Onitsha road for doing a good job.

The minister spoke at the weekend as he unveiled tougher engineering standards, strict deadlines and new technology to secure highways across the region.

Umahi said the Federal Government had placed a nationwide ban on all forms of mining activities within a 10-kilometre radius of bridges, as part of measures to safeguard critical infrastructure and enhance safety on highways.

The minister said the ban followed an approval of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), stressing that enforcement mechanisms, including water patrols, would be deployed to ensure compliance, particularly around major bridges.