The Niger State Governor, Umaru Bago and his Kwara State counterpart, AbdulRaman AbdulRazaq have urged the people from Kwara, Niger and Kebbi states where the 1,000 Kilometers Sokoto-Badagry road would run through to support the Federal Government and take ownership of the road project, saying they are the most beneficiary of the project.
The governors spoke at a stakeholders’ meeting held in Ilorin, Kwara State capital, where an engagement was held to brief the public on the Kwara and Niger Sections of the superhighway as well as rally public support for it and other initiatives of the President.
Arewa PUNCH reports that Kebbi State has the highest length of 250kilometers of road while Kwara and Niger states have 188 and 125kilometers respectively.
The stakeholders’ session was held at the instance of the Federal Ministry of Works, and it was attended by Niger State Governor Bago; Kwara Deputy Governor Kayode Alabi; federal and state parliamentarians, including Kwara North’s Sadiq Umar; Minister of Youth Development Dr. Jamilah Bio; state cabinet members; royal fathers; industrialists led by chief executive of KAM Holdings, Dr. Kamoru Yusuf; party stalwarts; community leaders; transport unions; farmers’ associations; civil society organisations; marketers associations; and the youths.
The stakeholders commended President Bola Tinubu for the bold step to construct the 1000-kilometre Sokoto-Badagry superhighway, describing the project as another evidence of the President’s commitment to driving phenomenal socio-economic growth.
Speaking at the event, Niger state governor, Bago urged the people from Kwara and Niger to support the federal government and take ownership of the road projects, saying they (projects) are for their own good.
“We need to talk to our people that the government is not grabbing your land; the federal government is bringing development to you. We are not going to pay one kobo for compensation because it is for your good”, Bago noted.
The Governor said locals should support the project because of its accompanying benefits, thus, cautioning communities against disturbing contractors or the government for compensation.
Also speaking at the meeting, the Kwara State Governor who is also the chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), said the proposed road project attests to the bold vision of President Tinubu to develop infrastructure, which enhances national connectivity and helps to grow the economy.
“What we are doing this afternoon is another testament to the bold vision of President Tinubu and another evidence that our country is in a race to align development priorities and population growth with commensurate infrastructure that connects every part of Nigeria.
“But more important is the decision of the President to make the people the centrepiece of this bold vision”, AbdulRazaq stressed.
The Kwara governor, represented by his deputy, Kayode Alabi said, “For the avoidance of doubt, 188 kilometres of the road traverse different towns and communities of Kwara State. The socioeconomic implications of this Renewed Hope Infrastructure Project for national connectivity and growth cannot be fully appreciated by this generation”, he added.
Abdulrazaq hailed the Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi for the excellent job of combining the expertise of this critical terrain with the political skills of pushing through the different land mines.
“This conversation has helped our people to own the initiative, and I assure Mr. President and his team that our people will give all the support to see it through”, the Governor. added.
The Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi in turn commended the supportive roles of both governors AbdulRazaq and Bago for the President, saying the Ministry has 18 federal projects in Kwara, and more efforts will go into some of them that are deemed to be behind their implementation schedules.
“We are going to engage with the governor, commissioner for works, the federal controller of works, and the ministry, and review the projects and give them priorities”, he added.
“Four projects are ongoing on tax credit with BUA (in Kwara). They have assured me that these projects will be delivered as soon as possible. They are all government projects under President Tinubu. They are not social service projects from the company.
“We are the one funding it under a different funding mechanism”, he started.
The Minister hailed AbdulRazaq and Bago for hosting the engagement and their hospitality in the course of the deliberations.
He also commended the roles of the Ministers of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation Lateef Fagbemi SAN and the minister of Youth Development, Dr. Bio, in the approval of the Kaiama-Tesse-Kishi road for construction.
“We just came from Kebbi yesterday where we unveiled the Sokoto and Kebbi States segment. In a number of states where this legacy project will be passing through, Kebbi has the highest length of 250km, the second is Kwara State with 188km and the third is Niger State with 125km”, Umahi said.
He added, “The Sokoto-Badagry road has been in the pipeline for the past 48 years. You can imagine the successive administrations that came and left and not even a single kilometre was done. It remained a dream. The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway was raised by President Tinubu as Governor of Lagos State 25 years ago. The president will accomplish all three legacy projects.
“We invite the governors to buy into the project. I am fortunate that the two governors are best friends of Mr President. So, I have no problem as far as the project is concerned”.
Umahi specifically commended the good works of Governor AbdulRazaq in Kwara and as the NGF chairman, saying, “Kwara is lucky to have Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq. I have seen a lot of developments since coming to town. But he is not just doing great in Kwara, he is helping the President to properly create good relationships with the Governors. He is a very calm and humble man, and a silent achiever”, Umahi lauded.
In his speech at the event, the Senate Committee Chairman on Works, Barinada Mpigi condemned the rate of abandonment of road projects by contractors after they have been mobilised, saying that the Senate would not hesitate to sanction erring contractors if they fail to return to sites on time.
Chairman of KAM Holdings, Alhaji Kamoru Yusuf in his goodwill message noted that the project would bring a big relief to the entire nation in terms of logistics and travel time.
