The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has made a passionate appeal to Nigerians at home and in the diaspora to cease de-marketing the country and instead focus on promoting national unity, optimism, and patriotism.
Speaking in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Sunday, Umahi decried what he described as a growing culture of negativity and public condemnation directed at the nation.
He expressed his disappointment with the prevalent attitude of uninformed criticism.
“I feel so sad when people demarket the country both outside and inside Nigeria, cursing without knowledge. This is because a job is very easy when you are not the one doing it. Let there be a rethink,” he said.
The minister urged citizens to adopt a more conscientious approach to nationhood. “We are all journeying through this life, and there is a need to have lasting treasures beyond this life by putting Nigeria first, by being your brother’s keeper, by doing things with the fear of God.”
Umahi contrasted the behaviour of Nigerians abroad with their conduct at home, pointing out a disparity in attitude and respect for rules.
“I wonder that when our people go outside the country, they suffer more; they pass through all kinds of humiliations and oppressions; they work sometimes for 19 hours, and they obey all the rules. But when they come here, they break all the rules. That is not good; let us have hope here. This is the only country you can make 100 per cent doing a job, whereas you can’t make more than 10 per cent outside the country,” he said.
He insisted that numerous opportunities exist within Nigeria but people would not see them if they chose to remain negative.
He further admonished Nigerians to be optimistic and forward-looking, arguing that approaching issues with bitterness and ingratitude is counterproductive. “There is a saying that ‘forgiveness sets the captive free’, and when you are forgiven, you will find out that you were the captive. So let us work with the fear of God and support our government, and of course, engage in constructive criticism. Nigeria is great again.”
The minister also praised President Bola Tinubu’s resilience and commitment, stating that he inherited a “terrible economic situation” from the previous administration.
He lauded the president’s refusal to complain publicly as a mark of leadership courage, explaining that as a former governor, he understood the scale of the challenges. “In fact, when I saw the capital projects, I never knew that the debt servicing is drawn from the capital projects, and that is where the problem is. So there have been a lot of debts that are kept, and these debts were not used for infrastructure development; otherwise, it would have been a catalyst for development. So it is very important to know that what we inherited was so terrible.”
Umahi added that the economic burden was immense, with national assets sold in advance.
“Everything became a priority, but we shall overcome this. Even our fuel was sold in advance, but it is a matter of courage, and that is why the president is not complaining, but we shall overcome it,” the minister said.
He asserted that the administration’s reforms are already yielding positive results, citing favourable economic indicators.
“So all the indices are breathing well, and the worst is over, by the words of the president, and the darkest part of the morning is the dawn. The macroeconomy is doing very well,” he noted, pointing to a drop in inflation, GDP growth over 4.23 per cent, and a 42 per cent climb in foreign reserves.
He concluded on a hopeful note, predicting that the benefits of infrastructure development would soon trickle down to the wider economy and alleviate hunger.
“For me, the president has taken back the nation for us. So forget about the noisemakers. They will always be people making noise, and I will suggest that our generation should also try to work even harder than our forefathers. Hard work pays; it is very, very important. Even the Bible professes that he that doesn’t work should not eat,” the minister stated.
