The senate, on Wednesday, urged the federal government to include states in the North-east geopolitical zone in the Renewed Hope Legacy Road Infrastructure Projects of President Bola Tinubu.
The call was sequel to a motion sponsored by Senator Danjuma Goje (APC Gombe Central) during plenary.
The legacy road projects of the Tinubu administration include Sokoto – Badagry Superhighway (SBS), connecting Sokoto (North-west) to Badagry (South-west); Lagos – Calabar Coastal Highway (LCCH) (South-south); and Calabar – Ebonyi – Benue – Kogi – Nasarawa – Abuja Superhighway (South-east and North-central).
The roads will inter-connect the country and bring socio-economic growth as well as foster national unity and integration.
Goje, a former governor and ex-Minister of State for Power and Steel, in his motion, complained that the North-east had been marginalised in the road projects.
He stated that the non-inclusion of the North-east states in the projects could further worsen the infrastructure challenges of the region.
The senator blamed banditry, terrorism, Boko Haram, and other insecurity challenges in the region for the lack of adequate road infrastructure.
Goje also maintained that the marginalisation of the region in the road projects would affect the economy of the country.
He requested that Tinubu accommodate the North-east in the road legacy projects.
The senator specifically wanted the federal government to include Calabar-Makurdi-Jalingo-Yola-Maiduguri highway in the project because “it will integrate the North-east into the road project”.
The senator representing Plateau Central Senatorial District, Diket Plang, seconded the motion.
Plang stressed that including the North-east in the road project would improve the economy of the region.
Simon Lalong (APC, Plateau South) also supported the motion.
Lalong said, “There is no where you can get to Abuja without passing through the Akwanga-Jos road. The best way to travel is to go by road because that is when you will meet and greet people.”
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