A Promise Kept for Doma Community

Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State recently kept to another of his promises by flagging-off construction of the 42-year-old neglected Idadu – Agbashi road in Doma Local Government Area, reports Igbawase Ukumba

Findings had that the Idadu – Agbashi road which links Agbashi, the headquarters of Ekye Development Area in Doma Local Government Area of Nasarawa State to the outside world, was last graded in 1979, about 42 years ago.

This was despite the fact that the Ekye axis has been a mini food basket of the state where crops like Sesame seeds, melon (egusi), yam, cassava and rice are being produced in commercial quantities. Despite these, the road has been bedeviled with the tripartite menace of kidnapping, armed robbery and petty theft.

Three years ago, Governor Sule’s desire to govern the “Home of Solid Minerals State” made him traverse the most interior of Nasarawa where he had had first hand experience of what people of such areas were passing through in life.

It was in this vein that Sule, who had never been to Agbashi town, embarked on the Agbashi adventure. He took a ride and drove actually from Doma to Idadu where he thought initially was a very bad road in that part of the state.

But the Nasarawa State governor, when flagging-off construction of the 42 years neglected Idadu – Agbashi road awarded to a Chinese company, Road & Bridge International Nigeria Ltd, lamented that when his campaign team started driving from Idadu to Agbashi, some of the vehicles broke down along the way and couldn’t make it.

However, he continued that the few vehicles that were still on the entourage, they kept changing them until he (Sule) went to Agbashi himself.

He said: “When we started driving from Idadu to Agbashi, some of the vehicles broke down along the way and we couldn’t make it. But the few vehicles that we had, we kept changing vehicles until I went their myself. And when I went there, I made a commitment. I said by the grace of God, if I become a governor I will fix your road. And by the grace of God today, I am fixing that road.”

The governor also reminded that he had felt similar experience when he took the road from Sisinbaki to Farinruwa about three years ago in continuation of his quest to become the governor of Nasarawa State.

“It was also exactly like the road we have here, and I made that commitment. We thank Almighty God Sisinbaki – Farinruwa is history, you can zoom in 15 minutes from that angle. I made a similar commitment when we also travelled from Malaraba to Udege. When I saw that road, I almost cried for the people. Today is history. In less than 20 minutes you can go from Malaraba all the way to Udege,” Sule narrated.

He added: “This 24 kilometers road (Idadu – Agbashi) is going to cost N3.2 billion, but the money means nothing as far as the happiness of the people is there. After doing all that, I discussed with the contractor and I had to extract the commitment from him that: I need quality job to be done and I want this job to be done in 12 months time, and the contractor promised me that he will do that.

“The only thing he asked for is my cooperation about his payment, about security and about the cooperation of the people there. I said one of the payment I could promise you is in Lafia because I did not start engaging this work, or any other work whatsoever, until I know I have the money for it.”

Governor Sule therefore assured the contractor that he had the money for the work, hence the contractor shouldn’t be worried about payment.

“That is why I am taking them one after another because I wouldn’t want to make a promise and fail that promise. I don’t want to start a project and abandon it,” Sule explained. Secondly, he (contractor) asked me if I could help him with security. I told him I knew the area and the challenges of security we are having in this area when I was coming in.

“Today he (contractor) can see clearly that we have soldiers on motorcycles, soldiers in vehicles, police who are actually stationed in some places and we have a lot of air surveillance in this whole area. Because, just like the other places I have mentioned, the life of the people is very important than any amount of money for security,” Governor Sule maintained.

For the Chairman of Doma Local Goverment Area of the state, Architect Ahmed Sarki Usman, it was a moment of giving all gratitude to God Almighty that the state has a governor who keeps to his words.

According to him, “people of the state now have a leader whom God in his infinite mercy bestowed them with. A leader who is humble and indeed, a leader who loves his people.Today, we are witnessing the flag-off of the construction of the road from Idadu, down to Agbashi.

“Your Excellency, the prudent man you have been, I know you can not start anything you can not finish. You have demonstrated that in the various projects you have commissioned in the state. Even the projects that were left behind by your predecessors, you have ensured that those projects are in history.

“Your Excellency, today is another day you are writing in gold in Nasarawa State, and Doma Local Government Area in particular. The interior cliff of Doma will forever be gratitude to God Almighty, and will forever pray for you that indeed you have come to our plight,” the Doma Local Government Area chairman concluded.

Similarly, the state Commissioner for Works, Engr. Idris Mohammed Idris, when giving his remarks at the flag-off ground breaking of the Idadu – Agbashi road, corroborated that people of the state were not surprised because since the inception of the Governor Sule led administration, the administration has done so many wonderful projects.

“You have commissioned some, some are completed. You have even completed some other ones which your predecessors started. We are happy that today is the turn of Idadu – Agbashi road construction. And by the grace of God, just as what you have done to other roads and places, this one, as we are commissioning today, we are going to complete it at the stipulated time,” the state works commissioner expressed optimism.

For Road & Bridge International Nigeria Ltd, great honour and privilege enveloped them for being awarded the contract for the construction of the Idadu – Agbashi 24 kilometers road.

Deputy Managing Director of the Chinese construction company, Mr. Wang Zendxiang, expressed gratitude of the company known during the Governor Sule’s flag-off of construction of the road project at Idadu village.

He said: “Today shall be an important milestone in the Road & Bridge International Nigeria Ltd’s premier life as Nasarawa State opened its hands and gave us a work to do. We are honoured by this chance to make contributions to Nasarawa State.

“Therefore, I present the promise on behalf of the company that we will, on the direction of Your Excellency, to join hands with the state ministry of works not only to deliver quality job on the agreed date for the benefit of these communities, but also initiate a promising future for Nasarawa State in general.”

Concluding, Mr. Wang Zendxiang pleaded for maximum cooperation from the LGA and the local communities on Governor Sule’s direction. Finally, the company also pleaded to have security support from the locals so as to guarantee smooth construction of the Idadu – Agbashi road.

It would not be out of place to describe the whole of Ekye axis as so important to the heart of the Emir of Lafia and chairman of the Nasarawa State Council of Chiefs, Justice Sidi Bage (rtd).

This was exhibited by the Lafia Emir at Idadu village during the ground breaking of the Idadu – Agbashi road saying: “Your Excellency I want to thank you most sincerely for doing this because what you have done to our people has been saved and would ever be remembered by all of us. May God continue to bless and help you carry on with the good work you have been doing for the benefit of our people.”

The Nigerian ambassador to Sierra Leone and an indigene of the area, Mr. Henry Omaku, drew Sule’s attention during the flag-off of ground breaking of the road project that the fallen heroes of those neighbourhoods, including his (Henry) late mother, that that had been their dream. But, the Ambassador regretted that it was quite unfortunate that his mother was not at Idadu village to witness the event.

Omaku said: “Your Excellency, so many people came as governors, but God did not allow them to conquer. But you came, you saw, and by the special grace of God Almighty, you have conquered. We want to thank you for that. Your Excellency, you have left an indelible mark in the life of the people of Ekye, as well as in the life of the entire people of Doma Local Government Area.”

Quote

“When I went there, I made a commitment. I said by the grace of God, if I become a governor I will fix your road. And by the grace of God today, I am fixing that road”