BY EMMA PETER, ABUJA
Thousands of residents of Uburu in Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State have trooped out to welcome the Minister of Works, Senator Engr. David Umahi, during an enthusiastic homecoming reception, expressing appreciation for his contributions to national development and commending President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s infrastructure drive across the country.
The residents also expressed pride in Umahi’s appointment as Minister of Works, describing it as a demonstration of President Tinubu’s confidence in their son and an opportunity for him to bring his wealth of experience in infrastructure development to bear on national affairs.
According to a statement by Francis Nwaze, Senior Special Assistant to the Minister of Works on Media, the reception took place in Uburu on November 2, 2026, following Umahi’s series of stakeholders’ engagements in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital.
The statement said the gathering, which was organised spontaneously by residents, attracted people from different communities across Uburu and Ohaozara, who came out in large numbers to receive the former Ebonyi State governor.
It described the atmosphere as colourful and filled with excitement, as residents used the occasion to demonstrate their affection for Umahi and acknowledge his role in the ongoing infrastructure development efforts of the Tinubu administration.
According to the statement, several prominent stakeholders, including Onu Okorie, Prince Mathew and Comrade Kingsley Obini, addressed the gathering, expressing appreciation for Umahi’s service and the opportunity given to him by President Tinubu to contribute to national development.
The stakeholders, in their separate remarks, reportedly expressed pride in Umahi’s current responsibility for overseeing federal road infrastructure across the country, noting that his position has continued to attract attention to the South-East region.
They also emphasised the need to sustain ongoing development initiatives and ensure that the South-East continues to benefit from federal infrastructure investments.
The residents particularly commended the attention being given to federal roads and bridges in the South-East, noting that poor road conditions have remained a major concern for motorists, traders, businesses and other residents of the region over the years.
They described Umahi’s appointment to the Federal Executive Council as a significant opportunity for the region, given his experience in infrastructure development and his previous record as governor of Ebonyi State.
The statement further disclosed that the residents openly declared their support for President Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027, linking their position to the administration’s infrastructure investments and the confidence reposed in Umahi to serve as Minister of Works.
The reception followed Umahi’s stakeholders’ engagements in Abakaliki, where political and developmental issues affecting Ebonyi State and the country were among the issues discussed.
