Tinubu Opening South-East to Greater Trade Opportunities Through Trans-Saharan Superhighway – TDF

Tinubu Opening South-East to Greater Trade Opportunities Through Trans-Saharan Superhighway – TDF

The Democratic Front (TDF) has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what it described as a strategic effort to expand trade and economic opportunities in the South-East through the ongoing construction of the 123.6-kilometre Trans-Saharan Superhighway.

The highway, estimated to cost N668 billion, will stretch from Ebonyi State through parts of the South-South to Benue, Kogi and Nasarawa states in the North-Central region.

In a statement signed by its Chairman, Mallam Danjuma Muhammad, and Secretary, Chief Wale Adedayo, the group said the project demonstrates the administration's commitment to improving infrastructure and regional connectivity.

According to the statement, while several road projects are currently underway in the South-East, the scale, strategic importance and economic potential of the superhighway make it one of the most significant infrastructure projects undertaken in the region.

The group noted that Minister of Works, David Umahi, had described the project as a long-standing colonial-era proposal that was abandoned by successive administrations due to funding constraints and a lack of political will.

TDF said the highway is expected to boost interstate commerce, facilitate the movement of goods and people, and strengthen social and economic ties among the states it traverses.

The group also argued that the Tinubu administration has placed considerable emphasis on the development of the South-East, citing the establishment of the South East Development Commission (SEDC) and the provision of an initial N140 billion take-off grant to address longstanding developmental challenges in the region.

It further stated that the ongoing infrastructure projects reflect what it described as an equitable distribution of development initiatives across the country's geopolitical zones, irrespective of political considerations.

According to TDF, the administration's economic reforms, including the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of the foreign exchange market, have created fiscal space for increased investment in critical infrastructure.

The group urged residents of the South-East to continue supporting the Federal Government to ensure the timely completion of the Trans-Saharan Superhighway and other ongoing development projects in the region.