Umahi Orders Urgent Repairs on Flooded Keffi-Makurdi Road After Tinubu’s Visit Disrupted

Minister of Works, David Umahi, has ordered emergency repairs on the Abuja-Keffi-Akwanga-Lafia-Makurdi highway after severe flooding disrupted President Bola Tinubu’s convoy and forced the cancellation of his planned visit to Yelwata, Benue State.

The President was scheduled to visit the area on Wednesday to console residents grieving over the recent massacre of over 100 people. However, the flooded road became impassable due to heavy rainfall, halting the journey.

Umahi expressed regret over the incident, calling it “embarrassing,” and blamed the private firm managing the tolled road under the Highway Development and Management Initiative (HDMI)—China Harbour Operations and Maintenance Company—for failing to maintain the road despite collecting tolls.

“The road, though completed and tolled under a PPP with China Harbour, became flooded after debris blocked an existing culvert,” Umahi said in a statement by his Special Adviser, Orji Uchenna. He explained that the debris had since been cleared and the road section restored, but he directed the firm to identify the root cause and implement a lasting solution.

He also stressed that similar lapses on federal highways run by private operators would no longer be tolerated.

Umahi praised President Tinubu’s attempt to visit the grieving community as a “fatherly” act that resonated with the people of Benue State.

Tinubu, commenting on the situation, acknowledged the disruption, stating, “I aborted my visit to Yelwata town because of the rain, flood, and bad roads,” but assured that plans were underway to rehabilitate the area.

In the same vein, Umahi appealed to Citibank Nigeria to help finance critical infrastructure under the Renewed Hope Legacy Initiative. During a meeting with Citibank CEO Nneka Enwereji, Umahi expressed optimism about collaboration, describing infrastructure development as key to national progress under Tinubu’s administration.

Enwereji commended the government’s reforms and expressed interest in supporting impactful projects.

The federal government’s swift response to the flooding aims not only to fix the immediate problem but also to reinforce accountability in road concessioning and build investor confidence in infrastructure partnerships.