The Presidency says that President Bola Tinubu has not neglected the Northern Nigeria in his development agenda as wrongly posited by Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso.
Senator Kwankwaso while Speaking on Thursday during the public hearing on constitution review in Kano, stated that the current trend in federal allocation appears to favour one region of the country at the expense of others.
“Let me advise the Federal Government on the distribution of federal resources. From the information available to us, it’s like most of the national budget is now tilting in one direction in this country.
“Now, we are told that there is a road from the South to the East. We support infrastructure anywhere in this country, and anything that is good for the masses.
“But a situation where government is taking our resources and dumping them in one part of the country and other parts of the country are left just like that—I don’t believe that is the right thing to do by the government itself,” he said.
In a swift reaction, the Special Adviser, Media & Public Communication/Spokesperson to President Bola Tinubu, Sunday Dare, said that the allegation was false, pointing to some of the federal government projects across Northern Nigeria Under President Tinubu’s Administration.
He said under President Tinubu, Abuja-Kaduna-kano Expressway, Sokoto-Badagry Expressway, and Sokoto-Zamfara-Katsina Expressway were being constructed.
On agriculture, he listed the $158.15million Agriculture Value Chain (VCN) Programme for nine Northern states, Kolmani Integrated Development Project (Bauchi and Gombe States), Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) — a six-year World Bank–funded programme to restore 1 million hectares of degraded land and improve climate resilience in Northern Nigeria states, and Kano River Project (irrigation scheme) — large-scale integrated irrigation development in Kano State, commissioned in 2023 and operational under the current administration.
Mr Dare also mentioned some of the health projects in the north to include,
Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria, Kaduna (North West), Federal Teaching Hospital, Katsina (North West), University of Jos Teaching Hospital, Jos, Plateau (North Central), Reference Hospital, Kaduna (North West), Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto (North West), Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, Bauchi (North East), Harmony Advanced Diagnostic Centre Complex, Ilorin, Kwara (North Central), Federal Medical Centre, Nguru, Yobe (North East), Jos University Teaching Hospital, Jos, Plateau (North Central) — additional expansion, and Reinvigoration of about 1,000 Primary Health Centers, PHCS in the North.
On roads and highways: Kano–Kongolam Road (Section II: Kano–Kanwar–Danja–Hadejia), Yakasai–Zalli Road, 1,068 km Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway (Northern section including Sokoto and Kebbi), 258 km, 3-lane Carriageway (Section 2, Phase 2A: CH 120+000–CH 378+000) in Gulumbe, Kebbi State, Abuja–Kaduna–Zaria–Kano Dual Carriageway, Biu–Kangiwa–Kamba–Gaya–Niger Republic Road (30 km segment), Malando–Garin Baka–Ngaski–Wara Road (CH.0+000 – CH.79+586), Koko–Besse–Zaria–Kala Road, Abuja–Kaduna–Kano Highway (375 km), Repair of the Gamboru Bridge (Gamboru–Ngala–Kala–Balde Road in Borno State), Expansion of Mararaba–Keffi Road (43.65 km), Construction of Lafia Bypass Road (Nasarawa State), Kano–Maiduguri Dual Carriageway, Adamawa–Taraba Single Carriageway, Adamawa–Borno Single Carriageway, Kaduna–Jos Road (Single Carriageway), Zaria–Funtua–Gusau–Sokoto Road (Dual Carriageway), Zaria–Hunkuyi–Daya Road (Sections I, II & III – 152.67 km) — rehabilitation project in Kaduna and Kano States, and Reconstruction of Dikwa–Gamboru–Ngala Road (49.55 km) — strategic corridor reconstruction in Borno State
On energy and gas, he listed
Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano Gas Pipeline (AKK) (614 km), Gwagwalada Power Plant (FCT, Abuja – connected with AKK pipeline), ABIBA Solar Power Station, and Kaduna (50 MW) — planned solar power plant to boost renewable energy capacity in Kaduna State
On rail and metro, he mentioned Kaduna–Kano Rail Line (203 km, part of Lagos-Kano Rail Project), Kano–Maradi Rail Line (285 km, linking Kano, Jigawa, Katsina to Maradi in Niger Republic), Kaduna Light Rail System — ₦100 billion budget allocation to develop light rail public transport in Kaduna, and
Abuja Metro Line Rehabilitation (Abuja Light Rail).
On waterways and trade corridors, he called the Trans-Sahara Trade Route — infrastructure development to connect trade routes from Calabar through Nasarawa and Abuja towards Northern Nigeria and beyond.
The SA also listed the National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW) — renewed mandate and leadership for desertification combat in Northern Nigeria.
Other is the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP) — ongoing erosion control and watershed infrastructure development in the North.
“All of these in only two years by President Tinubu,” he said.
