We’ll Soon Resume Work On Bida-Lambata Road, Says Umahi

The Federal Government has assured that, work will soon resume on the Bida-Lapai-Lambata road project in Niger state to address its bad state, save lives, properties and the lingering insecurity.

The Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, gave this assurance when stakeholders under the aegis of ‘Coalition Of Niger South Development Associations, led by the lawmaker representing Bida/Gbako/Katcha federal constituency of Niger state, Hon. Sa’idu Musa Abdullahi paid him a courtesy visit.

The lawmaker had stressed the need for the federal government to complete the project because of its socio-economic importance as well as to address the security situation affecting communities on the axis.

In his remarks, Chairman of Bida Forum, Muhammad Jameel Muhammad who spoke on behalf of the coalition, said they visit to appeal for the minister’s urgent intervention to address the challenges they had been facing for decades.

He said:”the first one sir is now because of the way the road is in fact very closer along the stretch articulated and heavy trucks so we’re requesting the first one is emergency remedial work on the back spots but at least the road will be passable. The second is, all what we want in the next two months, let’s begin to see something on ground, mobilization to site, let the contractors.

“The third is that we want to have on the monitoring team, community representation, at least we will be able to interface with the team. We are not saying we are going to interfere with the technical, but we will give that support in times of even community relation what do they need and what can we do to make the work faster.

“Lastly, it’s important to us it has been said by people we have seen that in the past that’s, that road it’s a political campaign tool, so we want this time around it shouldn’t be political approval we want the job done…we have had governments that have come to do the same, we have even mentioned some will even say that they are they are doing groundbreaking but afterwards nothing happened.

“Honorable minister, this is our request, and we will be so much happier and we’ll be able to calm the frustration of people back home down people will go back today with some certain level of commitment and not promises. Promise and action with a clear timeline”.

Also speaking, the minister of state for works, Bello Mohammed Goronyo who received the delegation on behalf of the Minister commended the lawmaker for his commitment to his people.

“Sa’idu, you have shown a lot of commitment to your people, the Honourable Minister has already said it, that you are a lover of your people, just keep it up, because God is there to continue to support you. Niger South is the home of my brother-in-law. I know a lot of people from Lapai. and I’m sure when we go there minister will really fulfill this very very important pledge that he made.

“He has been talking about this Niger for very long time and he said we find time to go there do the groundbreaking and I want to tell you that my minister is the type of person that will not just come and give you empty promises if he will do it, he’ll do it. Take it or you leave it and we are lucky in this country to have somebody like you. So we commend you sir, for your leadership, for your resilience, even though there are some bad eggs that are there”.

Earlier, the works minister, Umahi said the federal government is committed to projects being carried out in Niger state because of the concern and the way he saw trucks falling in the corridor and the pressure from stakeholders including Hon. Abdullahi, the Niger state governor, Mohammed Umar Bago, the minister of information and

national orientation and senator representing Niger East, Mohammed Musa.

“Because of the pressure, I went to Mr. President, I said, please, you have so much in your hands. Can we allow that?…President said, if we do it, it will help, and the insecurity within that corridor will be eliminated,” Umahi said.

He further informed that, there are important road projects being done in Niger state through tax credits including the two that were just awarded.

“The greatest beneficiary of the NMP’s tax credit is in Niger state. So both Niger state and the entire South-South constitute 51% of the entire tax credit.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu does not, you know, make a political statement, you know, as far as roads and bridges are concerned. When we came on board, we had it in 2068, you know, but it’s totally over 13 trillion Naira, and with the removal of subsidy and with the removal the floating of Naira, your guess is as good as mine, what the cost of this project will be. At that time, a kilometre of road was costing about N500 million.

“Today, a kilometre of road, standard average, with no swampy area, or without pits, you know, is costing between 2.5 million. So you can imagine if you multiply, you know, you know, that, you know, 13 trillion, you multiply by six, you know, find out what the cost will be.

“The president has been very intentional in helping this country. He’s been very intentional in funding the roads and the bridges. Every part of this country became a construction site,” the minister added.