The Federal Government has approved the extension of the Bodo–Bonny Road project by 8.7 kilometres, as well as the Akwanga-Jos-Gombe-Maiduguri Road.

The Minister of Works, David Umahi made this known on Thursday in Abuja during a news briefing.

Umahi reinforced the Ministry’s commitment to expanding strategic infrastructure and improving connectivity in the Niger-Delta region.

He said the approval was part of President Bola Tinubu’s broader directive to accelerate critical road projects across the country.

“Yesterday, the president graciously directed that the Ministry of Works should extend the Bodo–Bonny Road by 8.7 kilometres using reinforced concrete up to the East–West road.

“The decision is a major boost to economic activities in Rivers and the South-South.

“The extension will enhance access to coastal communities and strengthen regional integration.

“The extension reflects the administration’s resolve to sustain inherited projects and expand their scope where necessary.

“The president did not stop any inherited project. He directed the continuation of all projects and also approved extensions where they are critical to national development,” he said.

Umahi said the present administration prioritised durable infrastructure,adopting reinforced concrete technology to ensure longevity and value for money.

He explained, “The roads we are building now will last between 50 and 100 years.

“This is very important because Nigerians deserve infrastructure that will stand the test of time.

“Another fantastic news when we talk about the fourth Legacy project of President Tinubu, it is the Akwanga to Jos to Borno State.

“That was what the president gave to me, that route is supposed to be Akwanga, Jos, Gombe, to Maiduguri.”

Umahi said that the President has thought it wise to extend the project starting from Akwanga, another work should start from Maiduguri, going to Gombe, going to Bauchi.”

Umahi also raised concerns over widespread vandalisation of public infrastructure, warning that the destruction of road assets threatens the sustainability of government investments.

He said, “We are facing massive vandalisation of our critical infrastructure across the country.

“What we are doing to protect our roads is being destroyed by people”.

He cited the examples of damaged installations, illegal mining activities around bridges, and deliberate obstruction of drainage systems, which he said had contributed to flooding and structural failures in several locations.

“The flooding we witnessed was because underground channels were blocked with refuse. People dump their daily waste inside manholes, and this is one of the reasons for flooding in many places,” Umahi said.

The minister also urged Nigerians to take collective responsibility for protecting public infrastructure.

“This infrastructure belongs to all of us. If we do not protect it, we will continue to repeat repairs, and that is not good for our society,” he said.

Umahi said the ministry was working within available resources to deliver quality projects and ensure transparency in execution.

“We are doing everything possible within the limit of our ability and conscience to ensure value for money in road infrastructure,” he said.

The minister commended Tinubu for sustaining road projects inherited from previous administrations and expanding their scope despite fiscal constraints.

He said, “The president had shown commitment to road infrastructure in spite of the fact that he inherited a very terrible state of roads and bridges, yet he had continued the projects and even extended some of them.”

The Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) has called for reforms to make labour justice systems faster, more accessible, and responsive to modern work realities.

NECA President, Ifeanyi Okoye, made the call on Thursday at the 4th International Labour Arbitration and Adjudication Forum (ILAAF) in Abuja.

The theme of the forum was titled “Access to Labour Justice in a Rapidly Changing World of Work.

Okoye said employers, workers, and the government must share responsibility for building fair and trusted labour institutions.

He urged participants to move beyond dialogue and propose practical reforms to improve labour justice policy, practice, and institutional performance.

According to him, stakeholders should strengthen labour justice systems in order to promote industrial harmony and support sustainable economic growth in Nigeria.

Okoye said access to legal justice was essential for social stability, investor’s confidence, and the protection of the rights of both workers and employers.

“Access to legal justice is not a luxury but a necessity for social stability, investor’s confidence, and sustainable economic growth.

“Credible and fair labour justice systems protect workers’ rights while giving employers confidence in outcomes and the investment climate,” he said.

According to him, preventing workplace disputes through sound human resource practices is more effective than resolving conflicts through litigation.

According to him, clear laws, effective communication, and functional collective bargaining can resolve many labour disputes before they escalate.

The NECA president added that transparent, efficient, and professional arbitration systems strengthen trust and encourage compliance within industrial relations.

He said delays and procedural bottlenecks in labour justice systems increase business costs and weaken confidence among employers and workers.

In his keynote address, Justice Lelio- Bentes Corrêa, Minister of Brazil’s Superior Labour Court, shared Brazil’s long-standing experience with specialised labour courts.

He said effective, independent, and accessible labour adjudication was essential to social peace, economic competitiveness, and the protection of fundamental rights.

On digitalisation, platform work, and precarious employment, Corrêa said the changing world of work posed significant challenges to labour justice systems.

He called on labour courts to adapt procedures, jurisprudence, and technology while remaining anchored in international labour standards, fairness, dignity at work, and social dialogue.

Pamela Azinge, Chairman of the Industrial Arbitration Panel (IAP), highlighted the panel’s role in preventing labour disputes from escalating into strikes or litigation.

Represented by Juliana Adebambo, an arbitrator with the IAP, Azinge underscored the importance of mediation and conciliation in resolving disputes.

She said the panel encouraged workers’ and employers’ organisations to make greater use of these mechanisms at the early stages of disputes to ensure efficient labour justice.

She noted that early engagement by employers and workers ensures accessible and effective dispute resolution.

Also speaking, Mrs Inviolata Chinyangarara, Workers’ Rights Expert at the International Labour Organisation (ILO), said labour justice goes beyond compliance with laws.

According to Chinyangarara, labour justice is about building trust, strengthening institutions, and upholding rights and responsibilities across the world of work.

“The forum provides a timely platform for dialogue, partnership-building, and practical solutions for a peaceful and productive industrial relations environment,” she said.

She added that rapid changes driven by technology, economic pressures, and new forms of employment make effective arbitration and strong dispute-resolution mechanisms more critical than ever.

Chinyangarara reaffirmed the ILO’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s efforts toward social justice, institutional strengthening, and a sustained culture of dialogue in the workplace.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) urged courts to protect workers against exploitation, citing rising workplace injustices and power imbalance between labour and employers.

The NLC President, Joe Ajaero, made the call on Thursday in Abuja at the 4th International Labour Adjudication and Arbitration Forum (I-LAAF).

The forum was organised by the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) with the theme, “Access to Labour Justice in a Rapidly Changing World of Work.

Ajaero said access to labour justice remained critical as the world of work continued to change, driven by precarious employment, gig work and union-busting practices.

“In a rapidly changing world of work, labour justice is increasingly contested, as exploitation, precarious employment and union-busting continue to undermine workers’ dignity.

“The concept of justice often favours employers, leaving workers at the receiving end of unfair practices in both the public and private sectors,” he added.

Ajaero said labour justice was not charity from employers or government but a fundamental right won through workers’ struggles.

According to him, workers’ rights are human rights and must be recognised, respected and protected across all workplaces.

Ajaero identified ignorance of labour rights as a major barrier to justice and urged employers to educate workers on their rights and obligations.

He said informed workplace actors would reduce disputes and promote equity, harmony and rule-based industrial relations.

The NLC president urged the judiciary to recognise the power imbalance between individual workers and large employers when adjudicating labour disputes.

He warned that ignoring class realities could legalise unfair dismissals and criminalise legitimate industrial actions.

Ajaero said prolonged litigation and excessive technicalities discouraged workers and eroded confidence in the justice system.

He said inaccessible justice often forced workers to resort to mass action and collective struggle to defend their rights.

Ajaero called on judges and arbitrators to uphold international labour standards, including ILO conventions on freedom of association and collective bargaining.

He urged courts to treat the right to strike as a fundamental human right rather than a privilege.

Ajaero said genuine industrial peace depended on workers’ trust in the justice system’s ability to protect them.

He commended NECA for sustaining the forum and reaffirmed NLC’s commitment to dialogue aimed at improving workplace justice nationwide.