Balanga residents in Gombe reject claims of road neglect

Residents of Balanga Local Government Area in Gome State, Nigeria, have pushed back against accusations of neglect concerning road development. Aminu Turaki, a local social commentator, directly addressed claims made by an Abuja-based politician, IG Wala, asserting that Balanga has not been overlooked in the state government's road network initiatives.

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Let me state this clearly: Balanga LGA cannot honestly be presented as a victim of road neglect under Danmajen Gombe.

Turaki urged critics to ground their assessments in verifiable facts rather than selective figures. He emphasized that the residents of Balanga are best positioned to evaluate the impact of the road projects, having directly experienced and utilized the improved infrastructure. "Let me state this clearly: Balanga LGA cannot honestly be presented as a victim of road neglect under Danmajen Gombe," he declared, referring to the governor.

He highlighted several major road projects in the area, including the Talasse–Dong–Junge–Reme–Degri, Bambam–Kutare–Mwona, and Billiri–Dogon Ruwa–Bakassi–Gelengu corridors. According to Turaki, these projects have significantly enhanced connectivity, eased movement, and improved access for farmers, traders, and residents across numerous communities.

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A cumulative sectoral allocation over several years cannot automatically be equated with money spent exclusively on the 1,100 kilometres of the 11–100 initiative because public budgets contain multiple projects, programmes, recurrent obligations, rehabilitation works, counterpart funding, maintenance and other infrastructure interventions.

Furthermore, Turaki challenged the practice of using cumulative budget figures to gauge the implementation of the 11–100 Road Network initiative. He explained that such figures often encompass multiple projects and recurrent expenditures, not solely funds dedicated to this specific initiative. He advocated for assessments to focus on concrete metrics like completed kilometers, ongoing projects, and remaining road needs.

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No administration is perfect, and Danmajen Gombe should equally be held accountable where projects are abandoned, delayed or poorly executed. But fairness demands that we also acknowledge achievements that are visible in our communities.

While acknowledging that no administration is perfect and that the state government should be held accountable for any abandoned or poorly executed projects, Turaki stressed the importance of recognizing visible achievements. He stated that acknowledging successes is not sycophancy but a matter of fairness and objectivity in public discourse. For the people of Balanga, he concluded, the road network initiative is a tangible reality, not just a slogan, as they directly benefit from the improved roads.

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For us in Balanga, the 11–100 Road Network is not merely a government slogan or a social media statistic. We have seen the roads. We use the roads. Our communities benefit from the roads.