From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
House of Representatives has tasked the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Federal Ministry of Finance, Federal Inland Revenue Services, and other stakeholders to explore alternative source of funding for the reconstruction of Bida-Lemu-Wushishi-Zungeru Road in Niger State.
The House also mandated its Committees on Works, Finance, and Legislative Compliance to ensure compliance, with the resolution.
This followed the adoption of a motion by Saidu Musa Abdullahi, on urgent need for the government to provide alternative source of funding for the reconstruction of Bida- Zunguru trunk A road in Niger State.
Abdullahi, in the motion, informed that House that “the 92Km Bida-Zungeru Road is the preeminent link route between the North and South-Western Nigeria which was first constructed by Costain West Africa in 1962 during the first republic and reconstructed by the Babangida Administration in 1989. “
He explained that apart from the recent maintenance on some failed portion of the road by the Federal Road Maintenance Agency ( FERMA), no rehabilitation has been done on the road in the last 30 years.
The lawmaker, while stressing the need for alternative funding for road, stated that “appropriation Act for the road is grossly inadequate and cannot make any significant impact on the Project.” He added that the road has immense economic benefits for the country.
According to him,” Zungeru town plays host to the ongoing 700 megawatts Hydro Electric Power Station project embarked on by the Federal Government of Nigeria at the cost of $1.3 billion. The project is part of the Federal Government’s strategies to reposition power generation in phases in the Country and upon completion, will have the recognition of a strategic National Asset.
“The area from Bida to Zungeru is a major rice belt with huge potentials for other Agricultural produce that can hugely contribute to the Country’s drive at food security.”
Abdullahi argued that the road if reconstructed will ” open-up the Western link of the Country to the Zungeru Hydro Power Project which upon completion will generate 700 megawatts of electricity to meet close to 10% of the Nation’s total domestic energy need and have positive impact on the Country’s GDP through enhanced Agricultural productivity and Commercial activities in the area.”
