The Nigerian Senate has called on President Bola Tinubu to extend the N4.2 trillion superhighway project to include road construction in the North-East for the benefit of the region’s residents.
This appeal followed a motion presented on Thursday by Senator Mohammed Danjuma Goje, representing Gombe Central Senatorial District.
Titled “Federal Government’s Approval of N4.2 Trillion for Construction of Lagos – Calabar Coastal Road and Other Road Projects Nationwide,” the motion highlighted the minimal allocation of road projects to the North-East.
Goje pointed out that out of the approved N4.2 trillion, only two projects were designated for the region— the Yola-Fufore-Gurin Road in Adamawa State (N11.81 billion) and Lamido Road in Taraba State (N7.68 billion).
He emphasized that numerous vital road networks in the North-East remain in dire condition and require urgent rehabilitation. These include the 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, and Biu-Damaturu road.
“The North-East is the only region not included in the superhighway project initiated by this administration,” Goje noted.
Despite raising concerns about the exclusion, Goje commended President Tinubu for launching the superhighway project, which aims to improve connectivity, enhance road safety, and harness the country’s vast resources.
The Senate later amended Goje’s proposal, shifting the call for road rehabilitation from focusing solely on the North-East to advocating for the repair of all dilapidated roads across the country.
During the debate, several senators supported Goje’s motion while also highlighting the urgent need for road rehabilitation in their respective constituencies.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Senator Solomon Adeola (Ogun West), clarified that the N4.2 trillion allocation for coastal roads was not distributed by geopolitical zones.
“The N4.2 trillion coastal road projects specifically cover the Badagry-Sokoto and Lagos-Calabar coastal roads,” he explained.
Adeola further noted that President Tinubu had set aside N500 billion for ongoing road rehabilitation across the country, ensuring no region was left out.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio, in his closing remarks, stressed the need for a long-term strategy for continuous road rehabilitation and maintenance to prevent recurring road infrastructure challenges in Nigeria.