Lawmaker hails Tinubu for flagging off construction of Gombe–Biu–Maiduguri highway

Mr Goje had repeatedly advocated the inclusion of the North-east in the superhighway projects approved by the Tinubu administration.

Gombe Central Senator, Danjuma Goje, has commended President Bola Tinubu for approving the construction of the Gombe–Biu–Maiduguri highway.

Mr Goje, a former governor of Gombe State and ex- Minister of State for Power and Steel Development, said the project would boost economic activities and strengthen cultural exchanges among communities in the North-east.

The senator, who has repeatedly advocated the inclusion of the North-east in the superhighway projects approved by the Tinubu administration, spoke with journalists in Abuja on Friday to express appreciation for the approval of the road.

“The highway is going to connect the key areas of the North-east. This project will go a long way in boosting the economy of these areas. It’ll boost transportation, it’ll boost interchanges of cultural and other activities within those communities and that is why I did not want to wait until Tuesday to commend Mr President on the floor of the Senate because it requires urgent commendation,” he said.

Mr Goje, who is the leader of serving federal lawmakers from the North-east geopolitical zone, said the people of the region appreciated the president’s gesture.

“We, the people of North-east who are the beneficiaries of this super highway sincerely expressed our appreciation to the federal government and Mr President in particular. I’m doing this because I’m an advocate of that project on several occasions. We asked Mr President for this intervention and he responded not only on paper but physically.

“I expressed appreciation to Mr President, not only myself but on behalf of the people of North-east, Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Taraba, Bauchi and Gombe. We expressed our appreciation and to assure him that he should expect our full support in whatever he does,” he added.

The former governor also urged residents of the North-east to reciprocate the gesture by supporting Mr Tinubu’s second-term bid in 2027, arguing that such support would help ensure the completion of the project.

“I also want to urge my people in the North-east in particular and other areas to also reciprocate the good gesture of Mr President by giving him maximum support particularly in relation to the 2027 election because its always good to reciprocate good with good.

“Mr President has done good to us as far as this highway construction is concern and we should appreciate him. They should support him so that he can continue the project. If they give us support, there are chances that the project will be completed successfully.”

The construction of the Gombe–Biu–Maiduguri Highway was flagged off by the Minister of Works, David Umahi, on Thursday in Gombe.

Mr Umahi said the project is part of the infrastructure renewal programme of the Tinubu administration.

The highway, which links Gombe State, southern Borno and Maiduguri, has suffered decades of deterioration despite several contracts awarded by successive administrations.

The minister said the project was recently approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) as part of the fourth phase of President Tinubu’s legacy road projects, joining other major infrastructure schemes aimed at improving transportation and connectivity across the country.