Northern group asks Tinubu to complete critical projects in region

A pan-northern group, the Northern Reform Organization, has asked President Bola Tinubu to work with members of the National Assembly to complete abandoned infrastructure in the region.

In a statement signed by the Director of Research and Planning, Hamisu Isa Sharifai, and the Director of Publicity, Mahmoud Adnan Audi, the group bemoaned the many uncompleted projects littered across the North.

While congratulating the president, state governors and members of the national and state assemblies on their one year in office, the group urged lawmakers to wake up to their responsibilities and to see that all projects sited in the North are completed.

The statement said the dredging of River Niger conceived in the 1950s is still at its snail course and Ajakouta Steel Complex started in 1979 is only partially functional.

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The group raised concerns that since the discovery of over one billion barrels of oil in Kolmani River in the Bauchi-Gombe axis which has broken the jinx of oil exploration and discovery in the North, NNPCL and its partners have been silent on the commercial activities regarding the project.

Similarly, it says the Mambilla Hydropower project started for over 40 years is bedevilled by so many problems hampering its completion which will benefit the whole country.

On Abuja-Kaduna-Kano AKK gas pipeline project, the group said the project when completed would bring gas to companies resident in the North and make compressed natural gas available, which makes its early completion necessary.

The group said other projects crying for attention are Kaduna-Kano-Maradi rail line, noting, however, that other components like linking Kano and Dutse is yet to start.

It listed Kano-Maiduguri; Abuja-Kaduna-Kano, Kano-Katsina and Lagos-Ilorin-Kaduna as critical road infrastructure projects that should be completed.