Editor
The Honorable Minister of State for Water Resources and Sanitation, Rt. Hon. Bello Muhammad Goronyo, has praised the Federal Government for its ambitious endeavor to construct the 1,000km Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway project, set to commence from Illela in Sokoto State and traverse the states of Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Oyo, Ogun, and Lagos.
He also lauded federal government for the establishment of the North West Development Commission for its pivotal role in bolstering food security and job creation nationwide.
Addressing from his office in Abuja today, Rt. Hon. Goronyo underscored the strategic significance of the highway, emphasizing that it will link to the Trans-Sahara Trade Route and intersect with the Trans-African Highway (N’Djamena-Dakar) and Ahmadu Bello Way in Lagos. He articulated that this network is anticipated to play a vital role in enhancing trade and economic activities across the region.
The Minister of State accentuated that the construction of the highway is projected to generate over 1.6 million employment opportunities and nurture the growth of 46,000 micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) within the upcoming five years. Furthermore, the project is forecasted to double Nigeria’s GDP from USD 147 billion to USD 290 billion by enhancing market access, boosting productivity, mitigating post-harvest losses, and stimulating agricultural value chains.
Rt. Hon. Goronyo further revealed that beyond its economic advantages, the road project is expected to attract substantial investment in agro-processing, enhance livestock trade, rejuvenate the rural economy, alleviate rural-urban migration, and fortify the agricultural value chain through improved irrigation systems while the hydropower will enhance the security of the region.
He emphasized that the construction and operation of the highway will yield significant employment prospects, foster regional integration, and bolster the tourism sector by enhancing accessibility to various destinations.
Rt. Hon. Goronyo also highlighted that the North West Development Commission will play a pivotal role in addressing the challenges confronting the seven states in the geopolitical zone and facilitate the restoration of infrastructure devastated by insurgents in the North-Western states.
The North-West region encompasses seven states: Kebbi, Zamfara, Kaduna, Kano, Sokoto, Jigawa, and Katsina.
