By Joy Onu
The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has described service to humanity as the highest calling in public life as he paid a condolence visit to the family of the late Barinada Mpigi, who until his death chaired the Senate Committee on Works.
In a press statement issued on March 6 by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Francis Nwaze, the minister said the visit was to honour the late lawmaker’s legacy and recognise his contributions to Nigeria’s unity and infrastructure development.
During the visit, Umahi reflected on the late senator’s role in advancing national development and fostering cooperation in the country’s infrastructure sector. He noted that Mpigi was widely respected for his commitment to the unity of Nigeria and his readiness to support projects that benefited the nation as a whole.
The minister said the late lawmaker believed development should not be viewed through regional lenses, stressing that infrastructure projects across different parts of the country deserved equal attention.
“We came to be of one spirit for the growth of this nation. The contract ongoing at Keffi is as important to the National Assembly Chairman of the Committee on Works as that which is ongoing at Kano or Ebonyi. That is the spirit we can use to take back our country led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” Umahi said.
He assured members of the bereaved family that the Federal Government would continue to acknowledge the late senator’s contributions to national development, particularly through the legislative support he provided for infrastructure initiatives.
Umahi also commended the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, for demonstrating solidarity with the family during their time of grief, describing the gesture as a reflection of genuine friendship and commitment.
Reflecting on the late senator’s character, the minister described Mpigi as a man of peace who maintained cordial relationships across political and social divides while remaining committed to the country’s progress.
Officials who accompanied the minister on the condolence visit included the Minister of State for Works, Bello Muhammad Goronyo; Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi; the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Works, Adeladan Rafiu; Senator Anthony Ani; and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement, Chioma Nweze, alongside other directors and senior officials of the ministry.
