The minister of works and former governor of Ebonyi state, David Umahi, has said that he holds the position of the minister of the federal republic of Nigeria, not just a regional or Ebonyi state minister.
He stated that under his leadership, bureaucratic processes will be a thing of the past, as no file will be expected to be left unattended to for two hours without genuine explanations.
He also emphasized that due to his background, he considers himself a field-oriented individual rather than an office-bound one, adding that the ministry’s team of experts will embark on tours across the six geopolitical zones of the nation to assess the condition of road infrastructures and strategize methods to enhance the well-being of Nigerians.
Umahi made this known while speaking during a press conference at the Federal Ministry of Works in Abuja, after the swearing-in ceremony at the Presidential Villa.
He said: “I’m going to be training tomorrow. I will offer my address to you tomorrow. I have indicated to see the contractors, and after taking a briefing from the Heads of Departments, we will meet with the contractors because I am not an office person, I am a field person. God giving us life, with some of you in that department, I will be inspecting the Lokojo-Benin road and Lokoja-Abuja road.
“We are going to make changes. Like I said, I am not an office person, which means that the bureaucratic tendencies of our system will be fully unaccessed because normally, no file will stay with anybody for more than two hours. If there is a reason for the file to stay more than two hours, you must come to me personally to explain, and I will be working through zones.
“After this week, the upper week, I will be on the field, and I will settle down only when I have seen all your projects and the new ones we intend to also do.
“So, we’ll be touring the six geo-political zones to see things for ourselves, and the challenge of engineers on the issue of who creates technology, even with the challenge of forex and challenges of very undulating petroleum prices and with the abundance of limestone in our country, and even bitumen in Ondo and some locations in the country.
“We are going to local content in our tenure, in our administration. So, we have to be prepared for a renewed hope that is anchored on change.
“So I want to thank you very much and I don’t want you to entertain any fear. I am a welfarist. I am also a man of war. For those who want to reset the clock backwards, we will not agree. For those who want to be part of this history to help this country, you will be my friend.
“I am not a Minister of Ebonyi State, I am not a Minister of the South East, I am a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and my best friends are those who are in line with the aspirations of Mr President, the renewed hope and the very high expectations of Nigerians.
“Each time people talk about me, I say they should talk about God because I don’t know how it happens, and that is going to repeat itself – all by the fingers of God.
“Let’s prepare to work. I love my family so much, and because of that, I will love your family so much. I extend my love to each and every one of you. I can’t do it alone; it is not about me, it is about us.”
