When the Government of Niger state elected to close state roads to heavy duty vehicles, it was with the sincerest intention to keep the collapsing roads manageable, and to provide the contractors on site ample room to continue work, even in the wet season. Our intention was never to antagonize the FG or anyone for that matter. We only found ourselves in a desperate situation that required a desperate action.
This is why we are shocked by the reactions of some individuals in the wake of the directive by His Excellency to open up ONLY MINNA-BIDA road after a meeting with the Chief of Staff to the President, the IG of Police, DG DSS, GMD NNPC and the Minister of Works.
The Governor made his case, and these individuals sympathized, and have agreed to roll out pragmatic solutions to put the problem of roads in our state to rest for good, among other measures, by:
—staging a special intervention for remedial works on Bida-Lapai-Lambata road and Mokwa-Tegina-Birnin Gwari road to serve as alternative routes for articulated vehicles to move cargoes.
—support State Government to carryout remedial works on Farin Doki-Minna-Bida road to enable easy movement.
These have always been the chief demands of our people. Now that the FG has agreed to them, what sense would it make for Governor Abu Sani Bello to refuse the FG’s single request?
Are our critics expecting His Excellency to hold dogmatically to an unreasonable position and fight the IG of Police and the Chief of Staff and the Minister of Works over a matter that has been resolved?
Gwamna fa ba kaura bane.
All our requests were granted, the only reasonable thing to do is, for us to wait and see if FG will fulfill its obligations, if it doesn’t, we go back and close the roads again, but, for now, it is only fair we give the FG a little time in the hope that it will execute her own part of the agreement.
