Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, despite the uncertainties trailing the 2023 general elections, surprisingly seemed not perturbed or distracted. The Adamawa state governor is focused on completing the first leg of the mandate entrusted to him by his people during the 2019 general elections, where he overwhelmingly defeated the then incumbent Governor Jibrilla Bindo in spite of the power of incumbency.
Governor Fintiri has maintaining the same spirit, busy commissioning projects and initiating new ones, especially road infrastructure. No wonder, his people stood by him during the unfortunate incident that arose from the ‘Hudu’s’ charade and melodramatic declaration of the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Binani, as winner of the election while it was still ongoing.
It takes a great and progressive leader to invest in road infrastructure. Apart from reducing travel time and accidents, road assets and infrastructure are crucial to economic development with attendant social security gains. In addition to creating employment opportunities as well as providing access to health and education services, a good road network plays great role in fighting poverty by opening up more areas for transporting goods and services and stimulating economic, social and political activities. For these reasons, road infrastructure is the most important of all social amenities.
It’s a fact that Nigerians across race, creed or religion are the easiest people to please; the average Nigerian does not expect the government to do everything for them. Unfortunately, years of audio governance has reduced Nigerians into individual local governments practically providing everything for themselves. Perhaps, the public amenity with the most consequence in the lives of Nigerians which has all but been abandoned is road infrastructure. It is the cord that connects every other social and economic amenity and is at the very heart of rural and urban transformation. Indeed, road infrastructure improves the possibility of healthcare delivery, electrification, and water supply,
Unfortunately, Adamawa state was for a long time completely starved of road development. For instance, the administration that was ousted by Governor Fintiri in 2019 did not add as much as 10 kilometres to the existing road network in Adamawa state. This as well as previous neglect of the infrastructure left Adamawa roads in a very bad shape. As a result, many communities were cut off from the state capital, Yola.
Then came Governor Fintiri whose vision to transform Adamawa state supersedes any other interest. His administration has brought about a radical departure from the old practice when complacency reigned supreme. Today, Adamawa state is seeing a renaissance in road construction as well as many other critical infrastructure across the state.
Recently, in continuation of his administration’s drive in facelifting the state, Governor Fintiri flagged off the construction of the Mubi Roundabout flyover. When completed, the flyover will be the third in the series being constructed under his stewardship since inception in 2019. Recall that the administration has constructed and commissioned Total Junction flyover bridge, the first of its kind. The Police Roundabout was also duly commissioned.
The administration has approved the dualisation of township road from Welcome to Yola to Army Barracks. In fact, in the last five years alone, the Fintiri government has far surpassed previous administrations. This is because, despite the paucity of funds, the governor has been able to construct over 100 kilometres of critical roads across Adamawa state. This is not surprising, because his diversification agenda, especially towards agriculture, is heavily reliant on the provision of good and motorable roads to enable farmers take their produce to the market.
This targeted road development approach is typified by the construction of Kiri Junction, Kiri-Shelleng road 37.5km and the commencement of Pella-Maiha road that had been abandoned for more than five years before the coming of Governor Fintiri.
Other roads that have simultaneously received a new lease of life in the state capital and environs under Governor Fintiri include the Bachure road construction at the forefront, Benue Street, Kaduna Street, Lusaka, Abeokuta, Ndaforo, Philip Maken and Links 2.5km, Lagos Street,1.5km
Falu Road and Links – 2.31km, Mambila and Jambutu Street 2.7km, Old Government House Road and Links – 1.35km, reconstruction of Bachure road – 3.185km, rehabilitation of Nepa road – 2.2km.
Abandoned roads reconstructed include selected roads in the Adamawa State University Mubi – 5.3km, Mubi Township roads phase II (12.55km), some selected Ganye Township roads (Buwangal-Sangasumi road) – 7.0km Song Bridge and Approach roads, Mustapha Ismail Street, Links in Jimeta, construction of additional roads in Dougirei and parts of Lekki Taba.
This piece cannot substantially capture all the road projects in the state but just to mention few. Indeed, you can’t desire development for Adamawa and not appreciate Governor Fintiri’s doggedness, audacity and resilience. Where others delivered lamentations and inertia, Fintiri has brought succour. And he seems poised to keep going strong.
Bashir writes from Yola, Adamawa state