By Pwanagba Agabus, Jos
The North Central All Progressive Congress (APC) Forum, has called for the urgent intervention of President Bola Tinubu in the reconstruction of the federal roads scattered across the region.
The Chairman of the forum, Saleh Zazzaga made the call on Tuesday in Jos the Plateau State capital during a media chat with journalists on the forthcoming last quarter meeting of the forum in 2024 which he said would be slated for October.
He said, “Among the topmost of our agenda will be the development deficit of the North Central region, and that one of the critical aspects of these deficits and infrastructural decay is the deplorable state of the federal roads across this region.
The Chairman nonetheless, said ahead of the meeting he would still want to call on the president to come to the aid of the region in terms of the roads reconstruction.
Adding that, “The North Central region is a critical region in the institutionalization of this democracy, the APC victories and the election of President Tinubu, and as such it is imperative for the people to enjoy the dividends of democracy.
Zazzaga pointed out that among the three zones in the North, “the North Central region has the most deplorable roads and highways.
According to him, those deplorable roads have cost lots of hardship on the people as well as preventable accidents which has cost the lives of many over the years.
He noted that some of such roads include the Jos-Akwanga road, Makurdi-Oturkpo-Otukpa road, Makurdi-Ankpa road, Jos-Saminaka/Kaduna road, Minna-Bida road, Ejule-Otukpa road. Others are the Ganawuri-Manchok road, Lokoja-Abuja road, Lapai-Agaie-Bida road, Birnin-Gwari-Bokani-Mokwa road, Minna-Zungeru-Tegina-Kontagora road, etc.
Zazzaga therefore urged the President to use his good office and intervene in the reconstruction of those deplorable roads in the region, saying that provision of good good roads are vital enablers of development.
He said if the President can intervene in that respect he would deepen his appeal and cherishment in the minds the people of the region, adding that such would be much welcome and would galvanize the people to take favourable political decisions for the President in his consequent political aspirations or quest, than when money are distributed to greedy politicians on behalf of the region, of which they will end up embezzling it.
Also, he called on the North Central governors to intervene in reconstructing the roads where necessary and then seek for refund from the Federal Government as it is being done in other states/region, where the state government’s will construct or reconstruct the federal road themselves and then seek for refund from the federal government.
Furthermore, he explained that the even though such roads are considered to be federal roads, but it is within the states or the axis, and so the states are the first beneficiaries of the roads even though it is Federal Government roads as considered.
He lamented that some of the deplorable roads in the region today are unfortunate and is not supposed to be because eminent personalities from the state have held key positions in the country, including the position of the Senate President which was held by David Mark for several years during the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) administration.
Again, Zazzaga urged the President to speedily consider the replacement of Minister from Plateau State, as it is the only state without a minister, after the resignation of Simon Lalong, as the Minister of Labour and Employment to take up his senatorial seat, as the Senator representing Plateau South zone.
He said as the feelers of cabinet reshufflement is getting stronger, should it be possible the replacement from Plateau can fit into Agriculture/livestock related ministry as Plateau is renown for its agricultural production and the bedrock of the nation.
