The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has directed that a completed 15-kilometre stretch of the Enugu–Onitsha Expressway be opened to traffic on or before March 31, in a move aimed at easing long-standing transportation challenges in the South-East.

Speaking during an inspection of the project, Umahi described the highway as a critical economic corridor that has for years been associated with heavy traffic congestion and frequent accidents.

He noted that the ongoing reconstruction forms part of the Federal Government’s broader infrastructure drive, adding that the road spans a total of 107 kilometres on each carriageway, amounting to 214 kilometres.

The minister reiterated his preference for concrete pavement over asphalt, stressing that it offers greater durability and long-term value.

According to him, at least half of the road will be constructed using concrete to ensure resilience.
Umahi also revealed plans to install solar-powered streetlights along the corridor, beginning with the initial 15-kilometre stretch to be opened.

He issued a firm directive to engineers to make the road accessible before the end of March, regardless of pending finishing touches such as lane markings or median barriers, describing the move as a form of “Easter relief” for road users.

The project has also received support from Peter Mbah, who facilitated the payment of compensation and relocation of utilities along the route.

While acknowledging that funding delays have slowed progress, Umahi expressed confidence that work would accelerate once contractors receive payments.

Officials from the Federal Ministry of Works confirmed that the 15-kilometre section, located around the Akama axis, is nearly complete and already being used by some motorists, with final adjustments ongoing to ensure safety and smooth traffic flow.

The development signals renewed efforts to improve connectivity and boost economic activities across the South-East region.

The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has directed that a completed 15-kilometre stretch of the Enugu–Onitsha Expressway be opened to traffic on or before March 31, in a move aimed at easing long-standing transportation challenges in the South-East.

Speaking during an inspection of the project, Umahi described the highway as a critical economic corridor that has for years been associated with heavy traffic congestion and frequent accidents.

He noted that the ongoing reconstruction forms part of the Federal Government’s broader infrastructure drive, adding that the road spans a total of 107 kilometres on each carriageway, amounting to 214 kilometres.

The minister reiterated his preference for concrete pavement over asphalt, stressing that it offers greater durability and long-term value.

According to him, at least half of the road will be constructed using concrete to ensure resilience.
Umahi also revealed plans to install solar-powered streetlights along the corridor, beginning with the initial 15-kilometre stretch to be opened.

He issued a firm directive to engineers to make the road accessible before the end of March, regardless of pending finishing touches such as lane markings or median barriers, describing the move as a form of “Easter relief” for road users.

The project has also received support from Peter Mbah, who facilitated the payment of compensation and relocation of utilities along the route.

While acknowledging that funding delays have slowed progress, Umahi expressed confidence that work would accelerate once contractors receive payments.

Officials from the Federal Ministry of Works confirmed that the 15-kilometre section, located around the Akama axis, is nearly complete and already being used by some motorists, with final adjustments ongoing to ensure safety and smooth traffic flow.

The development signals renewed efforts to improve connectivity and boost economic activities across the South-East region.

The Anambra State Government, led by Chukwuma Soludo, has agreed to refund civil servants whose February salaries were wrongly deducted over Monday sit-at-home absences.

This was disclosed by the state chairman of the Trade Union Congress, Chris Ogbonna, who said the decision followed urgent intervention by the union after widespread complaints from affected workers.

The controversy arose after the government introduced a pro-rata salary policy in February 2026, linking workers’ pay to attendance as part of efforts to curb the Monday sit-at-home observed in the state, often associated with the Indigenous People of Biafra.

However, many civil servants reported severe and inconsistent deductions.

At the Jerome Udoji Secretariat in Awka, workers lamented that the cuts did not correspond with the number of Mondays missed, with some receiving drastically reduced pay.

Ogbonna acknowledged the discrepancies, assuring that the government has commenced steps to refund all excess deductions.

He noted that the move reflects the administration’s responsiveness to workers’ concerns.

“The government has agreed to refund those who were over-deducted. This came after our intervention, and we believe the process is already underway,” he said.

Beyond the salary issue, the TUC also appealed to the government to consider refunding contributions made by workers under the state’s pension scheme.

While Ogbonna rated the administration’s overall performance positively, the development has sparked fresh conversations about the implementation of the attendance-based salary policy.

When contacted, the state Commissioner for Information, Law Mefor, said he was yet to confirm the refund but promised to liaise with the Accountant-General for clarification.

The Nigeria Police Force has clarified that the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, did not order the scrapping of all tactical units as widely reported, but rather directed a strategic reduction of such teams nationwide.

In a statement issued by the Force Public Relations Officer, Anthony Placid, the police described reports of a total disbandment as misleading and a misinterpretation of the IGP’s directive.

According to the Force, while the IGP acknowledges public concerns over the excesses of tactical teams, he also recognises their vital role in crime prevention and enforcement operations across the country.

Drawing from his experience in various command positions, Disu expressed concern over the unchecked proliferation of these units, noting that it has weakened manpower at police divisions and contributed to misconduct due to poor supervision.

To address these challenges, the IGP has ordered that tactical teams be streamlined — with a maximum of five units at the Zonal and State Command levels, and no more than three at Area Command and Divisional levels.

The police explained that this restructuring may involve merging or disbanding some units, depending on operational needs and the discretion of command heads.

The directive, however, does not affect state-established security outfits such as the Rapid Response Squad in Lagos, the Special Response Squad in Oyo, and Operation DOO-AKPOR in Bayelsa.

The Force added that the move is aimed at redeploying officers to police stations to strengthen grassroots policing and improve public trust, while curbing the excesses associated with loosely supervised tactical teams.

The Nigeria Labour Congress has rejected the proposed N6 trillion bailout for electricity generation companies, describing it as an ineffective response to the persistent crisis in the power sector.

In a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja, the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, said repeated financial interventions have failed to deliver meaningful improvement in electricity supply across the country.

He argued that the bailout reflects deeper structural problems in the sector and insisted that public funds should not continue to be used to sustain what he described as a fundamentally flawed system.

According to him, Nigerians continue to suffer from high electricity tariffs and persistent blackouts despite years of government spending in the sector.

Ajaero called for urgent reforms, including the merging of the Ministries of Petroleum and Power into a single Ministry of Energy, to improve coordination and efficiency.

He explained that the current separation of responsibilities contributes to inefficiencies, particularly in gas supply for thermal power generation.

The labour leader also stressed that electricity should be treated as a social service rather than a profit-driven commodity, arguing that such an approach would ensure affordability and improved access for citizens.

He urged the Federal Government to suspend the proposed bailout and instead convene a national stakeholders’ summit to develop a sustainable, people-centred roadmap for the power sector.