Niger State government has raised the alarm that, despite the stakeholders meeting held in Minna with the Federal Government delegation led by the Minister of Works, David Umahi, most federal infrastructures in the state have been neglected.
While disclosing that the situation has become a burden on the Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umar Bago, Special Adviser to the Governor on Digital Media and Strategy, Abdulberqi Usman Ebbo said, the Governor has appealed to the Federal Government to quickly intervene in as the roads are in deplorable state.
Ebbo made the disclosure in an interview with newsmen in Minna, saying that “Governor Bago cannot get all projects done alone coupled with several ongoing projects across the state.”
Ebbo cited the Federal Government’s roads within the state like the Suleja-Minna road which was awarded 14 years ago, the Kontogora-Rijau road awarded over 10 years ago, Baro road project, among others which are yet to be completed despite assurances.
He decried the shortage of resources to fix these roads while the state government is struggling to fix the health and education sectors and embarking on a massive agricultural revolution.
He then charged the federal government to prioritize Niger State as a strategic state in the country.
Ebbo revealed that the situation is more worrisome as Niger State is the centre of Nigeria, pointing out that the economy of the country will collapse if Niger State roads were to be closed, hence the call for more federal presence to ameliorate the plight of the people.
He further expressed sadness over the enormous opportunities in the state that are not being utilized and urged the federal government to bring in resources to support the Governor even as he is already taking the lead in agriculture in the country.
He, therefore, called on lawmakers of both state and national assemblies to do more to draw the attention of the federal government so as to make Niger State a priority, adding that Governor Bago has prepared the ground for the federal government to find ease in operations of its policy and programmes.
