The Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, who flagged off the project, expressed confidence that Nigeria will overcome its security challenges under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The Senior Special Assistant to Umahi on Media, Francis Nwaze, in a statement he issued in Abuja on Friday, quoted the minister of speaking during the flag-off ceremony in Gombe State.
Umahi described the project as another landmark infrastructure initiative aimed at strengthening national integration, boosting economic activities and improving connectivity across the northern region.
The minister praised Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya for the transformation of the state, noting that the Federal Government expanded the scope of the Gombe–Biu section following requests by the state government.
He assured residents that construction would commence in earnest within 30 days, stressing that the project forms part of the Federal Government’s Fourth Legacy Project stretching from Akwanga to Maiduguri.
According to Umahi, the contract was awarded to HITECH Construction Company after a competitive procurement process involving six firms.
The minister also addressed the country’s security situation, urging Nigerians not to politicise insecurity and expressing optimism that the Tinubu administration would restore lasting peace.
“Security should not be politicised or weaponised. We must support the President and work together as a nation. This phase will pass, and Nigeria will overcome these challenges,” he said.
Umahi maintained that recent economic reforms had stabilised key sectors of the economy and expressed confidence that similar progress would be recorded in tackling insecurity.
He described Tinubu as a leader committed to delivering projects that had remained unrealised for decades, citing the Sokoto–Badagry Super Highway, Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway and the Akwanga–Maiduguri Corridor as examples.
On his part, Inuwa Yahaya described the super highway as one of the most significant infrastructure investments in Gombe State’s history, saying it would unlock economic opportunities and complement the state’s livestock and agricultural industrial zone initiative.
“The excitement across the state reflects the importance of this project to our people. It will drive trade, investment and economic growth,” the governor said.
He assured the Federal Government and contractors of adequate security and support throughout the construction period.
Also speaking, the Managing Director of HITECH Construction Company, Engr. Dany Abboud, pledged to deliver the project in line with international standards and promised to create employment opportunities for host communities, particularly youths.
