Senate Urges FG To Approve Nationwide Road Rehabilitation

Senate Urges FG To Approve Nationwide Road Rehabilitation

The Senate has called on the Federal Government to urgently approve the rehabilitation of all deplorable roads across the country. Additionally, it has urged the government to include the North East in the Super Highway projects, while commending President Bola Tinubu for the N4.2 trillion coastal road projects.

The Upper Chamber emphasized the need for the Renewed Hope Super Highway Project to extend to the North East, ensuring the zone is fully integrated into national economic activities.

The resolutions followed a motion titled “Federal Government’s Approval of N4.2 Trillion for Construction of Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road and Other Road Projects Nationwide,” sponsored by Senator Mohammed Danjuma Goje (APC, Gombe Central).

Goje lamented that despite the N4.2 trillion allocation for road projects, the North East received only N19 billion for just two projects—Yola-Fufore-Gurin Road (N11.81 billion) in Adamawa State and Lamido Road (N7.68 billion) in Taraba State.

He further highlighted several critical road networks in the North East that are in dire need of reconstruction and rehabilitation, 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

Ngorore-Mayo Belwa-Zing-Jalingo Road

Mayo Belwa-Jada-Ganye Road

Biu-Gombi-Maranraba Road

Biu-Damboa-Maiduguri Road

Biu-Damaturu Road

Exclusion from the Super Highway Project

Goje emphasized that the North East remains the only region not connected to the Super Highway Project, a move that undermines regional connectivity and economic development.

The Senate commended President Tinubu for initiating the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road and other major projects but insisted that road rehabilitation should be evenly distributed nationwide.

During the debate, Senator Solomon Adeola (APC, Ogun West) clarified that the N4.2 trillion coastal road project was not allocated based on zonal considerations but specifically for the Badagry-Sokoto and Lagos-Calabar Coastal Roads. He further stated that N500 billion has been set aside for rehabilitating existing roads across all zones.

Senator Idiat Adebule (APC, Lagos West) raised concerns about the Lagos-Badagry Road, which began in 2023 but remains incomplete.

Senator Isah Jibril (APC, Kogi East) stressed the need for a long-term road development plan, suggesting a four to five-year strategy to ensure balanced infrastructure development and prevent regional marginalization.

In his final remarks, Senate President Godswill Akpabio stated that without a serious roadmap for continuous road rehabilitation and maintenance, Nigeria will continue to struggle with deplorable road conditions.

He noted that if past administrations had taken proactive steps like the current government, the situation would not have reached this critical stage.