The Federal Government has intensified efforts to reconstruct critical infrastructure destroyed by the 2024 floods in Borno State, with the Minister of State for Regional Development, Hon. Uba Maigari Ahmadu, directing contractors handling North East Development Commission (NEDC) projects to meet approved deadlines and specifications.
Ahmadu gave the directive on Monday in Maiduguri while commencing a two-day inspection of NEDC-funded projects across the state as part of efforts to restore damaged infrastructure and support Borno’s post-flood recovery.
Among the major projects inspected were the nine-span Fori-Galtimari Bridge and six-span Moromoro Bridge, both of which collapsed during the 2024 flooding, disrupting transportation and cutting off critical routes within affected communities.
The minister also inspected the construction of a 250-bed student hostel at the Mohammed Lawan College of Agriculture, another major NEDC intervention aimed at expanding educational infrastructure in the North-East.
At the Fori-Galtimari Bridge project site, Ahmadu commended the NEDC and contractors for the progress recorded but stressed the need for timely completion.
“I want to commend the NEDC and the contractors, but I hope that when next we come here, this bridge would have been fully delivered and access roads would have also been completed to the benefit of residents around here,” he said.
The Fori-Galtimari and Moromoro bridges are considered critical to restoring transportation links and easing the difficulties faced by communities affected by the 2024 floods.
The flooding caused extensive damage across parts of Borno, destroying roads, bridges and other public infrastructure while compounding the challenges faced by communities already grappling with the effects of prolonged insecurity.
The Federal Government, through the NEDC, has subsequently intensified reconstruction and development interventions across the North-East, with the projects forming part of broader efforts to restore damaged infrastructure, improve connectivity and strengthen regional resilience.
Ahmadu said the Federal Government, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, remained committed to supporting projects designed to rebuild critical infrastructure and improve living conditions across the North-East.
The minister’s inspection is expected to continue on Tuesday with visits to additional NEDC-funded projects in Borno.
Upon completion, the projects are expected to restore vital transport links, improve access to essential services and strengthen ongoing reconstruction and recovery efforts across the state.
