By Angela Atabo
Leaders of the National Assembly have commended President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of Works, David Umahi, for the ongoing reconstruction of the Mararaba-Keffi Road.
The lawmakers gave the commendation on Saturday during an inspection tour of the project, describing it as a major boost to infrastructure development in the North-Central region.
They said the road project would improve connectivity, enhance economic activities and strengthen transportation links between northern and southern parts of the country.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Works, Allwell Onyesoh, praised President Tinubu’s investments in road infrastructure across the country.
He described the North-Central region as a strategic corridor serving as a gateway between northern and southern Nigeria.
According to him, infrastructure development in the area remains critical to national integration, trade and economic growth.
Onyesoh said: “Investing in infrastructure in this area is a strategic decision.
“The President has shown significant commitment, and the Minister has demonstrated remarkable dedication by personally monitoring projects across the country.”
The senator assured the Ministry of Works of the National Assembly’s continued support for the successful execution of ongoing road projects.
He also stressed the need to strengthen indigenous contractors, saying local firms should be empowered to undertake major national infrastructure projects.
Similarly, Chairman of the House Committee on Works, Akintola Alabi, applauded Tinubu’s commitment to infrastructure development in the North-Central zone.
Alabi noted that several transformative projects were currently underway across the geopolitical region under the present administration.
“It looks like Mr President loves the North-Central. Across the region, we have seen fantastic projects.
“While there is still much work to be done, I trust the President and the Minister of Works to deliver on these critical infrastructure projects,” he said.
The lawmaker also commended JRB Construction Ltd. for demonstrating the capacity of indigenous contractors to compete effectively with international construction companies.
He described the firm as a strong example of local expertise and professionalism within Nigeria’s construction sector.
Alabi further praised Umahi for maintaining close supervision of projects nationwide, saying the minister remained actively involved in ensuring quality standards.
According to him, the minister’s hands-on approach had contributed significantly to the progress recorded on several ongoing federal road projects.
He said JRB Construction had become a benchmark for indigenous construction companies and would help showcase Nigeria’s engineering capabilities.
Also speaking, Jeremiah Umaru, representing Akwanga, Nasarawa Eggon and Wamba Federal Constituency, expressed appreciation to the Federal Government.
He thanked President Tinubu, the Ministry of Works and the contractors handling the project for prioritising road infrastructure development in Nasarawa State.
“We sincerely appreciate Mr President, the Honourable Minister and the contractors for this excellent work.
“The people of Nasarawa are very happy with what is being done here,” Umaru said.
The lawmaker singled out JRB Construction Ltd. for commendation, describing the company as a shining example of indigenous capacity and professionalism.
He said the quality and pace of work being executed by the contractor reflected the growing competence of Nigerian-owned construction firms.
Umaru also thanked the Federal Government for awarding the Akwanga-Bauchi-Gombe Road project, which he described as crucial to regional development.
He appealed to the government to extend similar attention to the Wamba-Bokkos Road to improve mobility and economic activities in the area.
He expressed confidence that ongoing infrastructure projects would be completed under the current administration.
In his remarks, Umahi reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to supporting indigenous contractors and strengthening local capacity.
He said the administration believed Nigerian construction companies should be empowered to grow into globally competitive enterprises.
Umahi said: “The President is committed to building local capacity.
“We want Nigerian contractors to become strong enough to compete internationally and bring value back to our economy.”
The minister described JRB Construction as one of Nigeria’s best-performing indigenous contractors, citing its commitment and equipment capacity.
He said the company’s partnership with the Federal Government had contributed significantly to the progress achieved on the Mararaba-Keffi Road project.
“I have consistently described JRB as one of the best indigenous contractors in the country because of the quality of work they deliver,” Umahi said.
He added that the company had consistently demonstrated willingness to support government projects even before receiving payments.
Umahi disclosed that the contractor had completed about 21 kilometres of binder course on the project within eight months.
He described the achievement as impressive and evidence of the firm’s technical competence and commitment to timely delivery.
The minister expressed confidence that continued collaboration among government agencies, lawmakers and contractors would accelerate infrastructure development nationwide.