The Senate, on Wednesday, urged the Federal Government to include the North East road in the ‘Renewed Hope Legacy Road Infrastructure Projects, stating that the North East was the only zone left out of the six geo-political zones, despite its paramount economic importance to the nation.
They passed the resolution following a motion sponsored by Senator Danjuma Goje, representing Gombe Central Senatorial District, and former Governor, who decried the exclusion of the zone from the legacy projects of President Bola Tinubu.
Goje who rose under Orders 41 and 51 of Senate Rules, said 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 projects across the country without a provision for the North East.
He listed the landmark projects to include 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 actualising 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 in view of the strategic roles these projects will play in this country, hence the need to include the North-East in the projects.”
He 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, supported the motion, urging Senators to throw their weight behind the motion, citing the importance of the road to all Nigerians.
In his remarks, the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, commended Senator Danjuma Goje for presenting a motion that was in line with the interest of the people, and therefore, supported the prayer among others that the North East road be included in the legacy projects of Mr. President.