President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday flagged off the construction of the 125-kilometre Akwanga-Jos section of the Akwanga-Kaduna-Jos-Bauchi-Gombe-Biu-Maiduguri Superhighway and commissioned the dualised Akwanga Township Road and an underpass built by the Nasarawa State Government.
The President flagged off the highway project and commissioned the two state projects during a ceremony in Akwanga. He was represented by the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Nentawe Yilwatda.
Dignitaries at the event included the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi; Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang; Gombe State Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya; members of the National Assembly, state executive council members and traditional rulers.
Speaking at the event, Governor Abdullahi Sule described the dualised Akwanga Township Road as one of the signature projects of his administration, saying it was completed without borrowing from any bank.
According to the governor, the project was funded entirely from increased resources made available through President Tinubu’s economic reforms.
He added that residents and business owners whose properties were affected by the project received full compensation, a move that earned the government’s cooperation and support.
Sule also thanked the APC National Chairman for including the commissioning ceremony in his itinerary alongside the flag-off of the Akwanga-Jos road project.
In his address, President Tinubu commended Governor Sule for delivering major infrastructure projects outside the state capital, describing the development as a demonstration of good governance.
He said the road infrastructure reflected collaboration between the Federal and Nasarawa State governments and would improve connectivity between Abuja and Akwanga, as well as Makurdi and Akwanga, through an interchange.
The President also commended Governor Sule for acknowledging the impact of the Federal Government’s economic reforms on state revenue.
Tinubu directed the Minister of Works and state governors to work with the Surveyor General of the Federation to prepare setback plans for future road expansion. He also urged contractors handling the projects to train and employ local youths.
The Minister of Works, David Umahi, said the Renewed Hope Legacy Road Projects were designed to connect all parts of the country, stimulate economic growth and strengthen national integration.
Umahi described the Akwanga-Jos road as Section One, Phase One of the larger Akwanga-Maiduguri Superhighway under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
He said the 125-kilometre section traverses Nasarawa, Kaduna and Plateau states and forms part of a 700-kilometre corridor stretching from Akwanga through Jos, Bauchi, Gombe and Biu to Maiduguri.
The minister disclosed that work had already commenced on the Gombe-Biu section, while the Jos-Bauchi, Bauchi-Gombe and Biu-Maiduguri sections were being designed for procurement and award.
Umahi also provided updates on other legacy road projects across the country, saying Section One of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway in Lagos had been substantially completed, while sections in Enugu, Cross River and Akwa Ibom were at various stages of completion.
He added that work was progressing on sections of the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway in Sokoto, Kebbi and Oyo states, while construction was also ongoing on the Trans-Saharan route linking Calabar, Ebonyi, Benue, Kogi and the Federal Capital Territory.
According to him, North Central Nigeria currently has the highest number of federal road projects in the country, with 35 major projects, including five already completed.
Umahi further disclosed that President Tinubu had approved the immediate release of N111 billion for the construction of Section One of the Akwanga-Jos road, describing it as a major boost to the administration’s legacy infrastructure programme.
Also speaking, Nasarawa APC governorship aspirant for the 2027 election, Senator Ahmed Aliyu Wadada, described Umahi as an uncommon performer and commended Governor Sule for the transparent and judicious use of public funds.
He urged Nigerians to give President Tinubu another term to consolidate on the gains recorded by his administration.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, also said the achievements of the Tinubu administration over the past three years, including road infrastructure, the National Education Loan Fund and Nigeria’s exit from the Financial Action Task Force grey list, showed that the President deserved a second term to consolidate his reforms.
