From Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja

While commending the president for embarking on ambitious and laudable projects that would go a long way to guarantee socio-economic and political wellbeing of the citizenry, the lawmakers also urged the Federal Government to, as a matter of necessity, approve the rehabilitation of all deplorable roads across the country.

The lawmakers adopted these resolutions after approving the resolutions of a motion sponsored by Mohammed Danjuma Goje (Gombe Central), during plenary yesterday.

Moving the motion, Goje highlighted the glaring disparity in the allocation of road projects across the geopolitical zones in the country, stating that even though it is commendable that President Tinubu’s administration approved ₦4.2 trillion for nationwide road infrastructure, the North East had been largely overlooked in the Renewed Hope Super Highway Project.

Going further, he recalled that the Federal Executive Council (FEC), in its February 3 meeting, approved funding for various highway projects aimed at addressing the country’s poor road network and boosting economic development. A breakdown of the project list, he said, revealed that the North East was allocated only two projects which are Yola – Fufore – Gurin Road (Adamawa State) valued at ₦11.81 billion and Karim Lamido Road (Taraba State) at ₦7.68 billion.

Goje noted that aside from these two, several crucial road networks in the region remain in deplorable conditions, including Bauchi – Gombe Road, Biu – Gombe Road, Potiskum – Gombe Road, Darazo – Gombe Road, Numan – Jalingo Road, Yola – Mubi Road, Yola – Michika – Madagali – Gwoza – Bama Road, Biu – Gombe – Mararaba Road and Biu – Damboa – Maiduguri Road.

The former Gombe State Governor argued that the Northeast is the only region without a direct connection to the super highway project, despite its strategic importance in national development and security.

In his remarks on the motion, Akpabio decried the poor maintenance of road infrastructure across the country and called for a strategic roadmap on construction and maintenance of roads. He opined that no matter how many roads were constructed, without maintenance, they would eventually break down and join the multitude of bad ones already in existence.

“I believe strongly that if previous administrations in Nigeria had really done a serious roadmap on road construction and rehabilitation, we wouldn’t have had this problem.

“I think we should have a road map on how to maintain our roads and ensure their reconstruction.

“We’ll continue to have these kinds of issues even if we declare a state of emergency on road rehabilitation and construction, if we don’t have a plan on maintenance.

“For example, the road linking Akwa Ibom State with Cross Rivers State was done in 1975, with a provision that there should be an overlay in seven years, but 40 years after, that overlay has not been done,” he said

On his part, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, Sani Musa (Niger East), called for a wholesome repair of roads across the country.