*says he’s taking government closer to the people
By; BALA B. BITRUS, Minna
Niger State Government has opened discussions with the Federal Government on the possibility of reconstructing four “Trunk A” road strips in parts of the state.
The road project is expected to gulp about N50 billion according to the state’s Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello.
Governor Bello said plans were underway to partner with the federal government to commence the construction of the four major, critical roads in the state.
The roads, the Governor said during his visit to Lapai local government area, include the Lapai/Gulu/Evuti/Muye road, the Kompani Bobi/Bangi road, the Luma/Agwara road and Pandogari/Allawa/Erena roads which are very important links to other parts of the state and gateways to places outside the state.
The Governor said besides being critically important as link roads to major food and agricultural productivity centres, the affected roads when put in good shape, would add value to the economy of the people and the state nay the country at large.
Governor Bello who has been on tour of local government councils in the state, explained that his tour of the councils was designed to feel the pulse of the people especially those at the grassroots.
He said so far, he has been able to bring governance closer to the doorstep of the people and has got first hand information from them on their needs and aspirations.
He noted that as a people oriented administration, his government cannot make impacts without inputs from the people hence the ongoing assessment tour.
He refuted insinuations that he was on veiled campaign tours across the state ahead of the 2019 general elections.
“We are on working visit to our council areas and not on any campaign as it is being insinuated. We are on tour to get first hand information on the needs of our people with a view to solving those that require immediate intervention and those that cannot be addressed immediately would be captured in the supplementary or the 2018 budget appropriation” he said.
He again defended his ongoing tour when he said “as a responsive administration, “we need to go to the people, know their needs, look at their areas of challenges and reflect it in the budget so that we can address those issues that are of great and critical concern to our people”.
The Governor who addressed a large crowd who thronged the Palace of Etsu Lapai, Alhaji Umar Bago Tafida, urged them to be patient with government as it tackles issues affecting the citizens bits by bits.
Governor Bello has so far visited 15 of the 25 local government councils of the state. He described the tour of meet the people as a huge success and very revealing.
