Joseph Bakare
The Kebbi State government has listed the social and economic gains of the Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway, praising President Bola Tinubu for embarking on the project more than 45 years after it was first conceptualised by the administration of late President Shehu Shagari.
Deputy Governor of Kebbi State, Umar Abubakar Tafida on Wednesday in Birnin Kebbi, the state capital, spoke along these lines while conducting the Presidential Media Team and the Renewed Hope Ambassadors on the projects funded by the federal and state governments in the state.
The Deputy Governor noted that the longest stretch of the highway, which is about 258 kilometres, is within Kebbi State, noting that the legacy project will link the Northwest to the Southwestern part of the country and open up huge economic opportunities between the two regions of the country, most especially for farmers, traders and tourists.
Umar Tafida added that the project demonstrates Tinubu’s “nationalistic view” of development as it cuts across several states and links agricultural and commercial hubs. He noted that agricultural products like rice, tomatoes and onions from the state will get to other markets outside the region faster on account of the project.
“Transport and development go hand in hand. Farmers will now find it easier to move equipment and transport farm produce to markets quickly.
“Perishable goods like tomatoes can now reach markets in good time without losses associated with bad roads,” he said.
According to him, “this plan has been there for a very long time, but President Tinubu came, reviewed the design and masterplan, made adjustments and awarded the contract. Today, it is almost becoming history because the work is progressing steadily.”
The Deputy Governor also praised the quality of work on the road, including the concrete pavement and solar-powered street lighting, adding that the state government was collaborating closely with security agencies to ensure adequate protection for workers and host communities.
Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, who led the team, said visible progress on the Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway has effectively answered critics who doubted President Tinubu’s commitment to delivering the ambitious legacy project.
The delegation inspected sections in Kebbi State of the 1,068-kilometre corridor that will pass through seven states.
According to Dare, the inspection by the Renewed Hope Ambassadors and Presidential Media Team, aims at providing evidence of work done on the project and showcase the level of achievements of the Tinubu administration in the Northwest across key sectors.
“The very essence of our coming is to set the record straight and showcase the achievements of the administration of President Tinubu in this state and the Northwest as a region. Seeing is believing. We’ve come, we’ve seen it, and we’re standing on the roads he has done.
“We’re standing on concrete roads. We’re seeing testimonials from people in these communities who say this project was abandoned for decades and has now been reactivated.
“There is clear evidence of work being done. We’re seeing progress, completion of roads, commissioning of roads and how they are impacting economic life,” he added.
The Special Adviser said ongoing infrastructure drive under President Tinubu reflects a long-term national development vision designed to position Nigeria among modern 21st-century economies.
He said projects such as the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway are central to the administration’s ambition of building a $1 trillion economy through strategic infrastructure investments.
“When you look at the requirements of the 21st century, it emphasises infrastructure, human capital development and futuristic planning,” he said.
Dare described the Sokoto-Badagry corridor as one of the most ambitious road projects in Nigeria’s history, noting that the project would open up previously inaccessible areas and stimulate economic activities across the northern corridor.
Also speaking, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (Northwest), Abdullahi Tanko Yakasai, described the project as critical to food security and regional economic growth.
He said the highway corridor would include dams and other supporting infrastructure aimed at enabling year-round farming and easier movement of agricultural produce across the country.
Also speaking at the project site, the Federal Ministry of Works said work on the Kebbi section of the project was progressing according to schedule.
Site Engineer, Engr. Malami Aliyu, disclosed that the section covers Phases 2A and 2B of the project stretching from kilometre 120 to kilometre 385.
He said site clearance, filling works, stone base and sub-surface works were all progressing steadily while concrete pavement construction had covered 19 kilometres including street light installation.
The engineer put the level of completion at 40 per cent for Section 2A and 16 per cent for Section 2B, adding that there were no major challenges affecting construction activities in Kebbi State.