Tinubu’s administration fair to all Nigerians, says FG

The Federal Government has rejected allegations of uneven development under President Bola Tinubu, maintaining that his administration has operated with fairness, justice, and equity in distributing projects, appointments, and opportunities across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.

In a statement released over the weekend, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, said insinuations of bias were misleading. He stressed that the Tinubu-led government has demonstrated “uncommon commitment” to inclusivity and balanced national development since taking office.

According to him, the government’s flagship infrastructure projects reflect an even spread. ‘’While the Lagos–Calabar coastal highway traverses the southern corridor, the Sokoto–Badagry superhighway cuts across the north.

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“This sense of balance runs through all the major infrastructure projects being implemented today,” he said. Idris revealed that massive interventions were simultaneously underway in roads, bridges, rail and power.

The government, according to him, has secured N150 billion and N100 billion for light rail projects in Kano and Kaduna, while metroline projects in Lagos and Ogun are ongoing.

Collectively, he said the rail investments were expected to generate over 250,000 jobs nationwide.

He added that the eastern corridor rail line from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri was also undergoing rehabilitation, alongside the upgrading of over 1,000 primary health care centres across the country.

Citing verifiable data, Idris said the northwest had so far received the largest allocation of capital projects worth N5.97 trillion, representing over 40% of approvals.

The south-south, he said, followed with N2.41 trillion; north central, N1.13 trillion; south west (excluding Lagos), N604 billion; south east, N407 billion; and north east, N400 billion.

He listed the legacy projects under Tinubu to include the Lagos–Calabar coastal highway (750 km, ongoing in Lagos, Cross River, Akwa Ibom);Sokoto–Badagry superhighway (1,068 km, ongoing in Kebbi and Sokoto);Trans-Sahara highway (465 km, ongoing in Ebonyi) and the Akwanga–Jos–Bauchi–Gombe Road (439 km, redesigned for durability).

“Overall, 52% of the road projects are in the north, while 48% are in the south,’’ the minister pointed out.
He also highlighted dozens of additional projects, ranging from the Abuja–Kaduna–Kano dualisation and BUA tax credit roads in the north to the 2nd Niger Bridge access roads, East–West road works, Bodo–Bonny Road, and major bridge rehabilitations in the south.

Beyond roads and rail, Idris noted that the administration has revived the 255MW Kaduna Power Plant, fast-tracked the AKK Gas Project, expanded oil exploration in Bauchi and Gombe, and advanced the Kano–Maradi rail project from 5% to 67% completion.

The minister listed other major projects in the north to include Sokoto–Gusau–Funtua–Zaria Road (275 km dualised, N824bn); Abuja–Kaduna–Kano Road (350 km dualised, N764bn); BUA Tax Credit Road in Jigawa, Katsina, Kano (256 km dualised); Zaria–Hunkuyi Road (156 km); Kano Northern Bypass (49 km); and Kano–Maiduguri Road (100.9 km).

Others are Bama and Dikwa Roads in Borno (100 km); Damaturu–Maiduguri Road (110 km); Malando Road in Kebbi (76 km); Benue–9th Mile Road (250 km dualised, $958m); Lokoja–Okene Dualisation (86 km); and Kaduna–Katsina Roads (Sections 1 and 2, ¦ 150bn).

According to him, other major projects in the south are Lagos–Ibadan (8.5 km, N33bn); Lagos–Sagamu (12 km dualised); Oyo–Ogbomoso–Ilorin (N146bn); and Rehabili-tation of Carter, Third Mainland, and Eko Bridges (N120bn).

For South East, the minister listed Enugu–Onitsha Road (107 km,
N202bn via MTN Tax Credit); Enugu–Onitsha Road (72 km, N150bn via CBC); Enugu–Abakaliki Road (36 km); 2nd Niger Bridge Access Road (17.5 km dualised, ¦ 175bn); and Lokpanta–Enugu Road (61 km dualised, ¦ 100bn).

In the South South, the major projects, according to the minister, include Eleme–Onne Road (30 km, ¦ 156bn); Eket Bypass (9.7 km dualised, N76bn); East–West Road Section 2 (¦ 186bn); Nembe–Brass Road (N150bn); Lokoja–Benin Dualisation Bridge Access Road in Delta (17 km dualised, N146bn); and Bodo–Bonny Road in Rivers (35 km with 12 bridges, N200bn).

On federal appointments, the minister said inclusivity remained central to Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, pointing to the establishment of five new regional development commissions and the federal ministry of livestock development as evidence of fairness and national balance.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is building national infrastructure, not local trophies. His (Tinubu) leadership is inclusive, his vision is unifying, and his commitment to equity and justice is unwavering. Nigerians can rest assured that under his watch, no part of this country will be left behind,’’ the minister stated.