Ndume hails Tinubu, Umahi over N1.2trn Gombe–Biu road project

Senator Ali Ndume has commended President Bola Tinubu and Minister of Works David Umahi for initiating the reconstruction and dualization of the 125-kilometer Gombe-Biu highway. The N1.245 trillion project, officially launched in Gombe State, is seen as a fulfillment of the administration's commitment to rehabilitating critical infrastructure in the North-East region.

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In 2019, during a high-level engagement with the then Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, which I initiated, I expressed concerns regarding the deplorable condition of the Biu–Gombe Road, emphasising its strategic significance to economic integration, inter-state mobility, security operations, and regional development within the North-East subregion.

Ndume, representing Borno South, has long championed the road's upgrade, citing its strategic importance for economic activities, security operations, and regional integration. He recalled previous engagements with the Ministry of Works dating back to 2019, where he repeatedly highlighted the road's deplorable condition and the urgent need for federal attention.

The senator noted that his recent letter to Minister Umahi in February 2026, drawing attention to the exclusion of the Biu/Damboa/Maiduguri corridor from the 2026 Budget Four Legacy Projects, finally yielded results. The Federal Executive Council's approval of the Biu-Gombe Road project under the federal tax credit and infrastructure intervention framework, financed through the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation tax liabilities arrangement, was a significant outcome.

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It is heart warming to note that my interaction with the present Minister of Works, Dave Umahi in a letter dated February 11, 2026, in which I drew his attention to the exclusion of the Biu/Damboa/Maiduguri in Borno State from the 2026 Budget Four Legacy Projects of the present administration finally paid off as the FEC eventually approved the Biu–Gombe Road project under the federal tax credit and infrastructure intervention framework.

Ndume expressed his appreciation to the President for heeding his calls, describing the project as laudable and capable of unlocking economic opportunities and improving the quality of life for Nigerians. He appealed for the project's extension beyond Biu to Maiduguri, Monguno, Ngala, and Yola to further enhance trade, security, and regional connectivity.

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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.