Senator Ali Ndume, who represents Borno South in the National Assembly, has called on President Bola Tinubu to prioritise special infrastructure projects in the North-East, warning that the region risks being left behind without urgent intervention.
His appeal came in the wake of a recent visit to the Presidential Villa in Abuja by the six governors of the North-East, led by Borno State Governor and Chairman of the North-East Governors’ Forum, Professor Babagana Zulum. During the visit on Wednesday, the governors presented a list of abandoned federal road projects that have long plagued the region.
According to Zulum, at least 17 major road networks across the zone have suffered decades of neglect, severely impacting connectivity and economic development. He emphasised the need for immediate federal intervention to reverse the longstanding infrastructure deficit.
In a statement released to journalists on Friday, Senator Ndume urged President Tinubu to include targeted allocations for the North-East in both the 2025 supplementary budget and the 2026 fiscal proposal. He stressed that without deliberate and sustained action, the region would continue to lag behind the rest of the country in terms of development.
“Fifteen years down the line, there hasn’t been any meaningful infrastructural development in the North-East as it has been ravaged by the insurgents,” Ndume stated.
“In view of this, I suggest that the present administration should give priority to the region and make provision for its urgent infrastructural needs in the 2025 supplementary budget.”
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The senator noted that with the improved security situation, thanks to the efforts of the Nigerian military, conditions are now favourable for contractors to resume work on abandoned projects.
“Now that insurgents have receded as a result of efforts by our military who have regained lost ground, contractors can now move to sites,” he added.
Ndume commended the North-East governors for their unified stance, describing their advocacy as timely and necessary. He lamented that the region’s basic infrastructure has remained in a state of near-collapse for over 15 years, largely due to the devastating impact of the Boko Haram insurgency and associated security crises.
“The North-East, having borne the brunt of the insurgency for more than a decade, deserves special attention from the Federal Government,” Ndume said.
He further urged the governors to maintain pressure on the federal authorities and to continue developing people-oriented policies that could help restore normalcy and improve the lives of citizens across the region.
The North-East, comprising Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba, and Yobe states, remains one of the most underdeveloped zones in Nigeria, despite various federal interventions in recent years. With renewed calls for action and the fading threat of insurgency, stakeholders hope that sustained political will can finally bring lasting change to the region.
