The North Central All Progressives Congress Forum has urged President Bola Tinubu to prioritize the reconstruction of federal roads throughout the North Central region.
The call was made on Tuesday by the Forum’s Chairman, Saleh Zazzaga, during a media briefing in Jos, Plateau State, ahead of the Forum’s last quarter meeting scheduled for October.
Zazzaga highlighted that a major agenda item will be addressing the region’s development challenges, particularly the deteriorating condition of federal roads, according to Daily Post.
He emphasized the urgent need for presidential intervention to address the significant infrastructural deficits impacting the area.
“The North Central region played a crucial role in our democracy and the APC’s successes, including President Tinubu’s election,” Zazzaga noted.
“Therefore, it is essential that the residents experience the benefits of democracy.”
He pointed out that among the three zones in the North, the North Central region suffers from the worst road conditions, leading to considerable hardship and preventable accidents over the years.
Key affected roads include the Jos-Akwanga, Makurdi-Oturkpo-Otukpa, Makurdi-Ankpa, Jos-Saminaka/Kaduna, Minna-Bida, Ejule-Otukpa, Ganawuri-Manchok, Lokoja-Abuja, Lapai-Agaie-Bida, Birnin-Gwari-Bokani-Mokwa, and Minna-Zungeru-Tegina-Kontagora roads.
Zazzaga also called on North Central governors to assist in road reconstruction efforts and seek reimbursement from the Federal Government, similar to practices in other regions.
He argued that while these roads are federally designated, they are crucial to the states they traverse, making state governments the primary beneficiaries.
Additionally, Zazzaga urged President Tinubu to appoint a new minister from Plateau State, which is currently unrepresented following Simon Lalong’s resignation to assume his role as Senator for Plateau South.
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.”
Zazzaga urged the President to come to the aid of the region in terms of the roads reconstruction.
“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”.
