Ahead of the May 29 Democracy Day, the Governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, has begun the commissioning of a series of urban renewal projects across the state.
Governor Fintiri said the Rural Infrastructure and Community Development drive of his administration had seen to the successful construction of 347 km of rural roads across the State, unlocking limitless opportunities for hardworking rural dwellers.
The Adamawa State Governor gave the citizens of the state the assurances that it was the hope of his administration not to leave anyone behind and nothing left untouched.
He began with the commissioning of projects in the Southern and Northern Senatorial Districts, with the 3.5km Izala-Gweda Mallam-Rafa-Wayam Road in Numan.
Governor Fintiri said the project was a priority pilot project, compelled by the perennial flooding, which residents had endured in the preceding years.
“I am aware that thousands of residents usually move out of this area during the rainy season only to return after the rains to pick up the pieces of their lives and livelihood. This is unacceptable to this Government, which puts immense value on the welfare of its citizens. It is for this reason that this road project was among the first Township roads along with Michika, to be selected outside the State capital,” Governor Fintiri said.
He also commissioned the 33Kv mainline Toungo Electrification Project, which is the first phase, from the Ganye Tee junction to Toungo and linked to the Yola Electricity Distribution Company Main Station with 11Kv Low Tension, in Gamu and installed Transformers and LT distribution Lines in both Gamu and Toungo.
The Governor said work was already in progress for the commissioning of the second phase of the electrification project, which has 90% of the poles already erected and will take the line from Toungo to Kirri.
Commissioning of Electricity Project in Toungo, Governor Fintiri said the project was a fulfilment of the promise he made to the people in the area, by completing the abandoned electrification of Toungo.
“On that day I made a promise not only to connect Toungo to the National Grid but to redefine politics and re-establish trust between the politician and the electorates in Adamawa State. For me, as always, politics must be defined in its purest form – a simple call to service where trust is sacred. As politicians, while seeking for votes, our words shall always be our bonds,” Governor Fintiri said.
He felt delighted that after two years of being in office, “A promise is fulfilled, despite the harsh economic crunch characterized by the effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic.”
Governor Fintiri gave the assurances of his commitment to remain determined in restoring the integrity in politics and lighten the burden of negative perceptions created by politicians.
He congratulated the people of the area for the dividends of democracy they were now feeling.
“To the Chamba chiefdom, particularly the people of Toungo, I congratulate you from the bottom of my heart. As the saying goes “better late than never” The Toungo electricity project has lingered on for too long to the point of a collective embarrassment. At last, there is light in Toungo. You can breathe a sigh of relief amidst the understanding that politicians aren’t after all, all the same.” Governor Fintiri said.
He promised to commission, what he termed “More of the life-changing projects that will have direct meaning and impact on our State and our people,” ahead of the May 29 Democracy Day.
In Michika, Urban Roads in Michika and Flagged-off the distribution of Grant to about 1,320 women from Madagali Local Government Area,
The township roads with a complete drainage span of 7.8-kilometres form a part of the package for our Urban renewal campaign in the State, which the governor said was designed deliberately to bridge the infrastructural gap between the urban and semi-urban centres.
Governor Fintiri said it was the period of recuperation for Michika town and all the communities in the northern zone, because of the effect of the devastation caused by insurgency, “Which consumed our relatives, destroyed our infrastructure and even saw us fleeing our homes. The best way for the government to demonstrate sensitivity to the plight of the people is a commitment to fast track the recuperation process by rebuilding the infrastructure with the required speed,” Governor Fintiri said.
He said the projects were his administration’s modest way of encouraging people devastated and destabilized by the insurgency to return to their ancestral homes, reclaim their them and their lives, as well as their livelihoods, while hoping that the project would serve as a catalyst for growth and development.
“This indeed is one sure way to build community resilience, reconstruct faith and shame the deadly merchants of conflict and purveyors of mayhem,” said Governor Fintiri.
He announced that work was steadily progressing at the Permanent Site of the Adamawa State College of Health Technology, Michika, with the hope of academic activities commencing before the end of the year.
The Adamawa State Governor said part of the recovery plan for the area was the launch of the regional stabilization strategy, which targeted the most vulnerable groups in the society, especially women and children, leveraging on the flag-off of the poverty alleviation programme.
He said the programme targeted 1,320 vulnerable rural women in Madagali Local Government Area, with support from UNDP, giving a cash grant of N50, 000 to each woman.
According to him, the grant is expected to cushion the economic hardship, provide a start-up for petty trading and improve on individual household’s income for the vulnerable people.
PIAK
