General News
Ndume Applauds Tinubu as N1.245 Trillion Gombe-Biu Highway Project Takes Off
Former Senate Leader and Senator representing Borno South, Ali Ndume, has praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for fulfilling his promise to reconstruct and dualize the 125-kilometre Gombe-Biu highway.
The project, valued at N1.245 trillion, was officially flagged off on Thursday in Liji, Gombe State, during a ceremony attended by Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, Minister of Works Senator David Umahi, and the Managing Director of Hi-Tech Construction Company, Mr.
In a statement personally signed by him, Senator Ndume commended President Tinubu and the Minister of Works for honoring their commitment to rehabilitate the road for the benefit of residents across the Northeast.
The lawmaker recalled several efforts he made under previous administrations to draw the Federal Government’s attention to the poor state of the highway, noting that those efforts were largely unsuccessful.
According to him, “In 2019, during a high-level engagement with the then Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, which I initiated, I expressed concerns regarding the deplorable condition of the Biu–Gombe Road, emphasizing its strategic significance to economic integration, inter-state mobility, security operations, and regional development within the North-East subregion.
“Also in July 2021, during an engagement with the Ministry of Works and deliberations connected to national infrastructure financing frameworks, including projects tied to African Development Bank-supported facilities, I made a presentation on the urgent need to include the Biu–Gombe corridor within federal rehabilitation priorities, strategic funding windows, and long-term infrastructure development frameworks.
“It is heartwarming to note that my interaction with the present Minister of Works, Engineer Dave Umahi, through a letter dated February 11, 2026, in which I drew his attention to the exclusion of the Biu/Damboa/Maiduguri road in the 2026 Budget Four Legacy Projects of the present administration, eventually paid off as the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved the Biu–Gombe Road project under the federal tax credit and infrastructure intervention framework.
“The project was subsequently listed among strategic national road interventions financed through the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) tax liabilities arrangement.”
Speaking on the significance of the road project, the former Senate Chief Whip described the rehabilitation and dualization of the highway as a strategic development for the entire Northeast, noting that it would serve as a major economic and social corridor linking the region to other parts of Nigeria and neighboring West African countries.
“I want to appreciate Mr. President for listening to my calls.
“It is a laudable project that will unlock economic opportunities and improve the quality of life for Nigerians,” he said.
Ndume further appealed to President Tinubu to extend the road network beyond Biu to Maiduguri, Monguno, Ngala, and Yola.
“Like Oliver Twist, we want to appeal to President Tinubu to extend the road network not only to Biu but to Maiduguri and up to Monguno and Ngala and then down to Yola. Those are very critical roads leading to border areas that will also promote inter-country trade and strengthen efforts in the fight against insurgency, as criminals often take advantage of bad roads to attack and kidnap travelers,” he stated.
He expressed confidence that the people of the Northeast would appreciate the President’s intervention and support him in the forthcoming general elections.
“I am sure that the people of the North East will appreciate this gesture of Mr. President and reward him with their votes in the forthcoming general elections,” Ndume added.
