Danjuma Goje, a senator from Gombe Central and a former governor of Gombe State, has expressed disapproval at the North East’s absence from the nation’s Renewed Hope road projects.
Goje made a motion titled “Renewed Hope Legacy Road Infrastructure Projects: The Need To Include The North-East Geo-Political Zone In The Projects” in response to Point of Order 42.
He cited the Federal Ministry of Works’ June 28 public service announcement encouraging stakeholders to take part in public engagements about the “Renewed Hope Legacy Road Infrastructure Projects” around the nation through various print and social media platforms;
“These historic projects, which comprise the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway (LCCH) (South-South); the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway (SBS), which connects Sokoto (North-West) to Badagri (South-West); and the Calabar – Ebonyi – Benue – Kogi – Nasarawa – Abuja Superhighway (South-East and North-Central, respectively), were designed in line with the current administration’s commitment towards actualizing the vision of making Nigeria the largest economy in Africa,” the former minister continued.
However, the North-East is the only zone not included in these laudable projects
“These bold initiative is part of the Renewed Hope developmental agenda of Senator Bola Tinubu, GCFR, President and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which upon completion will undoubtedly inter-connect the country and bring about unprecedented socio-economic growth as well as foster national unity and integration;
“The legacy projects, as shown on its map, designed by the Federal Ministry of Works, excluded the North-East Geo-political zone from the whole equation, and this has stimulated unprecedented concerns and agitations from the region given the strategic roles these projects will play in this country, hence the need to include the North-East in the projects.”
“Many concerns about unequal development and potential marginalization of the region have been raised by the non-inclusion of the North-East in the projects, which includes: Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno Gombe, Taraba, and Yobe,” Goje continued. “This will exacerbate the region’s infrastructural challenges.”
The security situation of the region has been further exacerbated due to lack of adequate road infrastructure networks that make it to be susceptible and exposed to all manner of security challenges, ranging from insurgency, banditry, among others.”
He noted that the non-inclusion of the region will not augur well for the socio-economic development of this country, as the economic viability and opportunities that abound in the region will not be fully tapped to the maximum benefit of the country,
The congressman praised President Bola Tinubu even more for this enormous developmental step toward Nigeria’s goal of becoming the largest economy in Africa.
The Calabar-Makurdi-Jalingo-Yola-Maiduguri Highway, which will integrate the Northeast into Nigeria’s Legacy Infrastructure Road Projects, is one of the projects he prayed the senate to “urge the Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Works to further expand the renewed hope legacy road infrastructure projects to include.”
Senator Diket Plang (APC, Plateau Central) seconded the proposal. Plang emphasized that the North-East would benefit economically from the road project.
He noted that the route from Akwanga in Nasarawa state to Jos and Adamawa states was approved by the Federal Executive Council in 2016 during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, but it was never built.
In a same vein, Simon Lalong (APC, Plateau South), a former governor of the Plateau, endorsed the resolution. “There is no way to reach Abuja without traveling via the Akwanga – Jos road,” he declared.
“There is nowhere you can get to Abuja without passing through the Akwanga – Jos road.
“The best way to travel is to go by road because that is when you will meet and greet people.” he state.
Godswill Akpabio, the president of the Senate, thanked Mr. Danjuma for sponsoring the motion in his response. “I would want to express my gratitude to Senator Goje for introducing this motion. It’s evident,” he remarked.
The Senate subsequently approved the motion.
