After four decades of neglect, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has authorized the construction of the Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway, a significant step towards alleviating the transportation challenges between Nigeria’s Southwest and Northwest regions.
The announcement has been met with widespread enthusiasm from the Northwest community, which expressed its gratitude for the president’s commitment to revitalizing this long-stalled project.
This sentiment was articulated by Kebbi State Governor Nasir Idris during the groundbreaking ceremony held at Gulumbe town in Birnin Kebbi Local Government Area of Kebbi.
Speaking on behalf of President Tinubu, Governor Idris conveyed the collective joy of the Northwest populace and all Nigerians, stating, “Mr. President, we thank you for being alive to your responsibilities as a leader of our great nation. This project represents a Northwest corridor to Lagos and the Calabar Coastal Highway.”
The governor further praised the president for fulfilling his promise of being a leader for all Nigerians, noting the historical significance of the project and expressing confidence in the administration’s capability to execute it.
He expressed appreciation to the president, the Federal Executive Council, and the National Assembly for their roles in bringing the project to fruition, emphasizing that it had been a long-awaited initiative.
Highlighting Kebbi’s prominent role in the project, the governor assured attendees that adequate funding has been allocated to prevent any financial impediments during its execution.
The Sokoto-Badagry road, spanning 1,068 kilometers, was originally conceived during President Shehu Shagari’s administration in the 1980s. After more than 40 years of dormancy, the current administration has revived the initiative.
During the ceremony, the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, characterized the super highway as an ambitious undertaking that was initially planned to commence from Lagos. However, in a display of the president’s vision, the decision was made to start construction from Sokoto. Umahi expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for this pivotal initiative.
Umahi also revealed that the first phase of the project includes the construction of 68 dams aimed at enhancing irrigation, with a projected completion time of two years. He emphasized that these significant legacy projects are not merely roadways but vital investments expected to yield high returns.
The Sokoto-Badagry project is designed to foster a substantial agricultural revolution, with the dams facilitating irrigation and promoting wind energy alongside agricultural development in the corridor.
Alhaji Atiku Bagudu, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, noted that while President Tinubu did not specifically pledge to execute this project during his campaign, he committed to serving as a president for all Nigerians, a promise that is now being realized.
Senator Adamu Aliero (PDP, Kebbi Central), who chairs the Senate Committee on Works, commended President Tinubu for advancing a project that previous administrations had promised but failed to deliver.
Aliero, a former governor of Kebbi State, acknowledged Governor Nasir Idris for his transformative leadership in the state, stating, “Though I am a member of the PDP and the governor is from the APC, it is important to recognize the positive developments Gov. Idris has brought to Kebbi.”
In closing, the Emir of Gwandu and Chairman of the Council of Chiefs in Kebbi, Maj Gen Muhammadu Iliyasu-Bashar (retd), expressed gratitude to the Federal Government for revitalizing the project. Represented by the Emir of Argungu, Alhaji Muhammadu Samaila-Mera, the Emir remarked that President Tinubu would undoubtedly leave a lasting legacy through this initiative.
