Minister of Works, David Umahi, hinted at this during a courtesy visit to Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed while on a working tour of road projects in the North West and North East zones.

During the tour, the Minister visited the flood-damaged locations of Kano – Maiduguri Road, the dualization of Kano – Maiduguri Road Section 3 (washout location at Buskuri town), the dualization of Kano – Maiduguri Road Section 2 (at Sabon Gari village), the flooded area of Yana – Shiva – Azare road, the bridge along Bauchi – Gombe road and Ningi – Babaldu washout.

The Minister also flagged off the construction of the Bauchi-Gombe road being handled by Triacta Nig Ltd.

In a statement by his special adviser on media, Uchenna Orji, the minister informed the governor that as part of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope administration’s economic stimulus plans, the Federal Ministry of Works has designed the fourth Renewed Hope road infrastructure legacy project that passes through States of the North East known as the Akwanga–Jos–Bauchi–Gombe road.

He assured the governor that the government has no intention of abandoning the project as the financing mechanism has been prioritized.

While emphasizing the importance of the four Renewed Hope legacy projects, Umahi said projects were not only strategic in terms of seamless connectivity to the 6 Geo-Political Zones but also a strategic architectural master plan that would stimulate the economy of the Nation through enhanced agriculture, job creation, regional integration, tourism, transportation ecosystem, and industrialization.

He said the President is determined to ensure that funding was made available for the legacy projects through different intervention mechanisms.

“The President is taking us to China, because there was an agreement before, when this project was listed for funding on EPC + F, and the Chinese people were supposed to inject foreign financing on the roads, but they didn’t immediately do that.

While acknowledging the pains and difficulties faced by road users whose livelihood has been affected by the effect of the flood, the Minister assured them that intervention would be timely provided to bring immediate relief to the people of the State and other road users.

He said: “I want to thank you very highly and to let you know that the shortfall in terms of road distribution was not done by President Tinubu, it wasn’t done by me, but Mr. President is addressing it, and that’s why we have injected the fourth legacy project of the President that runs from Akwanga to Jos to Bauchi State, and we are happy to see that you have intervened progressively and critically on a good percentage of the road in your State”

He expressed the State government’s and the entire Emirate Council’s gratitude for the Federal Government’s exceptional proactiveness and responsiveness during this challenging time.