Residents, Drivers Doubt Federal Govt’s N1.8trn Road Project, Bago, Etsu Nupe Laud Initiative

Residents and drivers in Niger State have expressed doubts about the Federal Government’s ability to complete the recently flagged-off Lambata–Bida–Mokwa–Makera–Kontagora road project, urging the government to ensure that the exercise goes beyond political appeal and ends the suffering of commuters and residents.

Their concerns come as Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, and the Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, commended President Bola Tinubu for initiating the project through a tax credit partnership with the Dangote Group.

Some articulated vehicle drivers interviewed by LEADERSHIP said the project might take a long time to complete, citing previous experiences in which contracts were awarded during election years but subsequently suffered funding challenges, leading to delays.

An articulated vehicle driver, Munir Ismail, told LEADERSHIP: “We have the same situation on the Minna–Suleja road. Contracts have been awarded several times over the past 10 years, mostly during election years, yet there has been no significant progress afterwards. You can imagine what could happen to this road, which is about 401 kilometres long.”

A Bida resident, Mohammed Suleman, said the priority should be timely delivery rather than the groundbreaking ceremony.

“It is not about the groundbreaking; it is about delivering the project on time. Drivers now spend days on the road for what should be a short journey. The only thing giving me confidence is Dangote’s involvement. Otherwise, I would have thought they organised the groundbreaking to win our votes,” he said.

He added that the contract had been awarded at least three times under the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government, describing the latest exercise as a possible political gimmick to secure public support.

Also speaking, a tanker driver at Lambata, Zakeri Umaru, said road users wanted to see rapid progress on the project rather than another groundbreaking ceremony.

“We are not thrilled by the groundbreaking. Let us see the work progress as quickly as possible. We are suffering on this road, and the experience of spending days on the journey, especially between Agaie and Bida, is horrific,” he said.

Meanwhile, Governor Bago has expressed gratitude to the Federal Government under President Tinubu for the groundbreaking ceremony for the reconstruction and dualisation of the road.

The governor described the project as a monumental intervention and a significant investment in national infrastructure, economic growth, improved connectivity, agricultural development, trade and the well-being of millions of Nigerians who depend on the critical transportation corridor.

“This decision reflects the President’s recognition of the importance of road infrastructure to national productivity, commerce, food security and economic prosperity,” he said.

Bago also commended the Dangote Group for partnering with the Federal Government on the infrastructure project, saying it demonstrated how the private sector could collaborate with the government to deliver major public infrastructure for national development.

Similarly, the Etsu Nupe and Chairman of the Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, commended the Federal Government, describing the official flag-off of the road’s reconstruction and dualisation as a welcome development.

In an interview, the traditional ruler said the project would bring significant relief to motorists, commuters and transport operators, particularly those conveying goods between the northern and southern parts of the country.

He lamented that the road had remained in use for years without adequate maintenance, resulting in deteriorating conditions that subjected motorists to hardship and delays.