Taraba Stakeholders Step Up Plan ON Rural Infrastructure

The Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), a World Bank–assisted project, says it is working towards improving rural infrastructure and road construction in Taraba State.

Abishag Danagbu, the state RAAMP project coordinator, stated this at yesterday’s one-day second stakeholders’ consultative engagement meeting on road sector reforms in Jalingo.

She said the project aimed to enhance access to markets for agricultural produce, empower rural communities, and improve livelihoods.

“For Taraba State to fully participate in this scale-up phase, it is essential to establish an agency known as the Rural Access Road Agency (RARA).

“This agency will be responsible for maintaining the roads constructed through World Bank–assisted funding,” the Project Coordinator said.

She added that to ensure the agency sustains the project goals, its partners have recommended the establishment of a state road fund with a legal framework to enable the agency to access funds from various sources within the state.

While commending Governor Agbu Kefas for his support, she was confident that, with the composition of the two agencies responsible for ensuring the financial sustainability of the RAAMP project in Taraba State.

The National Project Coordinator of RAAMP, Aminu Muhammad, who was represented by the Desk Officer, European Investment Bank, Aminu Saidu, saluted the commitment of the stakeholders in Taraba, towards meeting the World Bank conditions.

He said the consultations with stakeholders from the public and private sectors were to obtain their input on the success of the reforms.

Graham Smith, the RAAMP Consultant, said Taraba, like most of Nigeria’s states, is grappling with poor road networks, particularly in rural communities.

Smith said the World Bank would construct 1,725 kilometres of roads across the state, local government, and rural areas.

He said the proposed RARA and SRF are intended to bridge the gap of inadequate funding at the local government level and avoid political interference.