“I was raised in the village,”— Minister of Works Umahi tells reporter

In a heated exchange during a press briefing, Arise News Correspondent Laila Johnson-Salami questioned Senator David Umahi regarding the environmental impact assessment of the Lagos-Calabar Highway Project.

However, the exchange took an unexpected turn as Umahi said he struggled to understand Johnson-Salami’s pronunciation.

Umahi’s response left many baffled as he claimed difficulty understanding Johnson-Salami’s accent, stating,

sister, I was raised in the village, me I no dey hear phonee..

Johnson-Salami, undeterred, pointed out that there were enough people present to assist with interpretation.

Despite the linguistic tension, she focused on the central question about the project’s environmental approvals.

Umahi asserted that the project had received preliminary approval and was following due process.

When pressed further about final approval from the Federal Ministry of Environment, Umahi reiterated that the federal government grants approval and affirmed that everything was in order.

Arise News Correspondent, Laila Johnson-Salami @lailajohnsonsal questions Senator David Umahi about the Lagos-Calabar Highway Project’s environmental impact assessment. She asks whether the project has received final approval from the Federal Ministry of Environment or if an… pic.twitter.com/IliadSGDfA

— ARISE NEWS (@ARISEtv) May 1, 2024

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