- He noted that the highway project represents a critical intervention aimed at improving connectivity
- Ndume recalled that he had consistently advocated for the rehabilitation of the Gombe–Biu corridor across successive administrations
- He also expressed hope that continued development efforts would earn the administration broad support from citizens
Former Senate Leader and Senator representing Borno South, Ali Ndume, has praised President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of Works, David Umahi, over the commencement of the long-awaited reconstruction and dualisation of the 125-kilometre Gombe–Biu highway.
Eko Hot Blog gathered that the project, valued at about N1.245 trillion, was officially launched on Thursday at Liji in Gombe State in the presence of government officials, contractors, and state representatives.
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In a statement released in Abuja, Ndume described the development as a major step in fulfilling the administration’s pledge to upgrade key road infrastructure across the North-East, particularly those with economic and security importance.
He noted that the highway project represents a critical intervention aimed at improving connectivity, boosting trade, and strengthening mobility across the region.
Ndume recalled that he had consistently advocated for the rehabilitation of the Gombe–Biu corridor across successive administrations, stressing its importance to regional development, security operations, and interstate commerce.
He referenced earlier engagements, including discussions in 2019 with then-Minister of Works, Babatunde Fashola, where he highlighted the poor condition of the road and its impact on economic integration and movement within the North-East.
The senator also pointed to follow-up engagements in 2021, during which he pushed for the inclusion of the corridor in federal infrastructure financing plans supported by development partners.
According to him, renewed advocacy efforts in 2026, including correspondence to the Ministry of Works, contributed to the eventual approval of the project under the Federal Government’s infrastructure intervention and tax credit framework.
Ndume explained that the road project was later captured under strategic national infrastructure funding arrangements linked to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) tax credit scheme.
He commended the Federal Government for prioritising the project, saying its completion would significantly improve economic activities and regional connectivity across the North-East and beyond.
The senator also expressed appreciation to the President for responding to longstanding appeals for intervention on the corridor, describing the project as a “welcome development” that would enhance livelihoods and open up economic opportunities.
However, he urged the Federal Government to extend the reconstruction beyond Biu to cover Maiduguri, Monguno, Ngala, and Yola, noting that such expansion would further improve trade routes and strengthen security in border communities.
He argued that poor road infrastructure has often been exploited by criminal groups, adding that improved access would help security agencies respond more effectively to insurgency and related threats.
Ndume expressed optimism that the project would be well received by residents of the North-East, describing it as a meaningful step toward addressing long-standing infrastructural deficits in the region.
He also expressed hope that continued development efforts would earn the administration broad support from citizens in future elections, while reiterating the importance of sustained investment in critical infrastructure across the country.
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