The Nigerian Senate has urged the Federal Government to include the North East road in the ‘Renewed Hope Legacy Road Infrastructure Projects, stating that North East was the only zone left out of the six geopolitical zones, despite its paramount economic importance to the nation.
The resolution of the Senate on Wednesday followed a motion sponsored by Senator Danjuma Goje representing Gombe Central Senatorial District and former governor who lamented the exclusion of the zone from the legacy projects of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Goje who rose under Orders 41 and 51 of Senate Rules, averred that the people of the zone became apprehensive after a public announcement in the media by the Federal Ministry of Works inviting stakeholders to engage in the planned legacy road infrastructure project across the country without a provision for the North East.
Having listed the landmark projects, which are made up of the Sokoto – Badagry Superhighway (SBS), connecting Sokoto (North-West) to Badagri (South-West); Lagos – Calabar Coastal Highway (LCCH) (South-South); and Calabar – Ebonyi – Benue – Kogi – Nasarawa – Abuja Superhighway (South-East and North-Central, Respectively), the lawmaker lamented the exclusion of the North East, saying if included the zone would be part of the current administration’s strive to actualise the vision of making Nigeria the largest economy in Africa.
Goje said: “This bold initiative is part of the Renewed Hope developmental agenda of Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu, 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;
“Aware that 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.
“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.”
He pointedly named Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe as states that their interconnected roads were excluded, pleading that they should be considered in the interest of the nation.
Senator Diket Plang representing Plateau Central Senatorial after seconding the motion, revealed that he had a similar motion close to the plight of road infrastructure in the North Central that linked to the North East.
He said, “This motion does not rest with the North East alone, because sometime in 2018, the road from Akwanga to Jos to Gombe to Adamawa was approved by the Federal Executive Council, FEC for construction. Up till date, some surveys were done and up to date, nothing is done on it.”
“I cherished the desire of Mr President to embark on great development of infrastructure, but North East and part of North Central from Akwanga to Jos to Gombe which is the outlet and inlet to the Federal Capital and the North East back to the Federal Capital and from the North East and Central back to the South West and South-South are deplorable.
Senator Solomon Lalong representing Plateau South Senatorial District after supporting the motion urged Senators to throw their weight behind the motion, citing the importance of the road to all Nigerians.
In his remarks, Senate President, Godswill Akpabio commended Senator Danjuma Goje for presenting a motion that is in line with the interest of the people, and he upheld the prayer among others that the North East road be included in the legacy projects of Mr. President.
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