By Abdulateeef Bamgbose
Senate yesterday urged the federal government to include North East in the super highway project, just as it commended President Bola Tinubu for the N4.2trillion coastal road project.
Senate’s call for inclusion of the North East in the project, followed a motion moved to that effect by Senator Danjuma Goje.
Senator Goje, in the motion titled ‘Federal Government’s Approval of N4.2trillion for the Construction of Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road and Other Road Projects Nationwide,’ lamented that out of the N4.2trillion road projects, only N19 billion was allocated to the zone.
“It is imperative to note that in this laudable project, the North East has only two projects, that is, Yola-Fufore- Gurin road in Adamawa State (N11.81 billion); and Lamido Road in Taraba State (N7.68 billion), out of the approved sum of N4.2 trillion.
“Apart from these two road projects in the North East, there are other important road networks that are in bad condition, such as: Bauchi-Gombe road; Biu-Gombe road; Potiskum-Gombe road; Darazo-Gombe road; Numan-Jalingo road; Yola-Mubi road; Yola-Michika-Madagali-Gwoza – Bama road, Ngorore-Mayo Belwa-Zing-Jalingo; Mayo Belwa-Jada-Ganye; Biu-Gombi-Maraba; Biu-Damboa-Maiduguri, and Biu-Damaturu, among others, which desperately require serious reconstruction and rehabilitation.
“The North East is the only zone that is not connected to the super highway project embarked upon by this administration,” he said.
He, however, commended President Tinubu for the super highway projects which, according to him, will ensure connectivity by improving road safety with the aim of harnessing the viability of resources that abound across the length and breadth of the country, with a view to stimulate economic growth and development, but stressed that the North East should be included.
In nationalising the issue, the Senate amended Senator Goje’s second prayer from urging the federal government to, as a matter of necessity, approve the rehabilitation of the listed deplorable roads in the North East to urging it to approve the rehabilitation of all deplorable roads across the country.
During contributions on the motion, many senators commended Goje and listed a series of federal roads in their various constituencies begging for urgent attention.
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriation, Senator Solomon Adeola ( APC Ogun West ), however, clarified that allocation for the N4.2trillion coastal road projects was not done on zonal basis.
The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio said until Nigeria has a serious road map for constant rehabilitation and maintenance of roads, the issue of road deplorability will remain.
He added that if previous administrations had taken the bold steps being taken by the Tinubu administration, the problem would not have been gargantuan.
