The Nigerian Senate has called for the inclusion of North-East states in President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Legacy Road infrastructure projects.
According to Arise TV, the plea was made during Wednesday's plenary session, following a motion sponsored by Senator Danjuma Goje (APC Gombe Central).
The Renewed Hope Legacy Road Projects, a hallmark of Tinubu's administration, include significant infrastructure initiatives such as the Sokoto – Badagry Superhighway (SBS), which connects Sokoto in the North-West to Badagry in the South-West, the Lagos – Calabar Coastal Highway (LCCH) in the South-South, and the Calabar – Ebonyi – Benue – Kogi – Nasarawa – Abuja Superhighway traversing the South-East and North-Central regions.
These projects aim to enhance national integration, socio-economic growth, and connectivity across Nigeria.
However, Senator Goje, a former governor and ex-Minister of State for Power and Steel, voiced concerns over the apparent exclusion of the North-East from these critical projects. In his motion, he highlighted the persistent infrastructure deficits in the region, exacerbated by ongoing security challenges such as banditry, terrorism, and the Boko Haram insurgency.
Goje argued that excluding the North-East from the road projects could further marginalize the region, deepening its economic woes and hindering national development.
Goje urged President Tinubu to reconsider and include the North-East in the infrastructure plans, specifically proposing the Calabar-Makurdi-Jalingo-Yola-Maiduguri highway as a vital addition.
"This highway will integrate the North-East into the road project," Goje asserted, emphasizing the importance of equitable development.
Supporting the motion, Senator Diket Plang (Plateau Central) stressed that the inclusion of the North-East in the road projects would significantly bolster the region's economy. Senator Simon Lalong (APC, Plateau South) also echoed this sentiment, underscoring the necessity of road connectivity for national unity and economic interaction.
Lalong stated, “There is no way you can get to Abuja without passing through the Akwanga-Jos road. The best way to travel is to go by road because that is when you will meet and greet people.”