President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday in Lafia, Nasarawa State, inaugurated the 118km Lafia-Obi-Awe-Tunga Road.
The president said that the project was a demonstration of his administration’s commitment to improving road infrastructure, enhance ease of doing business, creating jobs and ending poverty.
Represented by the Minister of Environment, Muhammed Abdullahi, the president assured that the last lap of his administration would be dedicated to completion and delivery of projects.
President Buhari pointed out that the road project which links agrarian communities in three local government areas —Lafia, Obi and Awe, would ease the movement of farm produce.
“By linking these communities, this road becomes a critical component of our national road network,” Buhari said.
The president urged the people of the state to take charge of the road and safeguard it from misuse.
He cautioned drivers against acts that could lead to the failure of the road, such as over loading, spilling of petroleum products and indiscriminate parking on the road shoulder.
Also speaking, the Minister of Works and Housing, (FMWH) Babatunde Fashola, said the project was the first of the second phase of projects completion and handover by the Buhari-led administration.
Fashola, represented by Engr. Emenoge Rugba, North Central Zonal Director, FMWH, said the project was a major investment in road transport infrastructure and a driver of economic growth and prosperity.
He said the Nguru-Gashua-Bayamari Road in Yobe, as well as Gombe-Numan-Yola Road, covering Gombe-Kaltungo, were next in line for inauguration and handover.
He said that these projects were visible and incontrovertible assets, being proof of how the country’s earned resources and borrowings were being utilised.
“This occasion affords the opportunity to restate that in addition to other innovative sources of funding, our budgetary provisions are also being diligently applied to complete projects such as this,” he said.
Bashir Alkali, Permanent Secretary, FMWH, represented by the Federal Controller Works in Nasarawa ,Daikwo Idah, said apart from easing movement, the project provided the people with direct, indirect jobs and other socio-economic benefits.
Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa, while receiving the newly inaugurated road, thanked the president for the various infrastructural interventions in the state.
Represented by his deputy, Dr Emmanuel Akabe, the governor appealed to the Federal Goverment to take over the construction of the bypass from Mararaba to Mpape in Abuja in order to ease traffic congestion on the Abuja-Keffi highway.
(NAN)
