Refutal to the False Narrative Against My Comment
My attention has been drawn to the deliberate misrepresentation of my comment on the floor of the Senate regarding the disproportionate allocation of road projects in the 2025 budget. To set the record straight, my concern was about fairness and the need for strategic prioritization of road infrastructure based on economic viability, haulage and vehicular traffic.
The 2025 budget allocates approximately N4.3 trillion for road projects, yet only the Agaie-Katcha-Baro Road was included for Niger State, with an allocation of less than a quarter of a billion naira—an amount grossly inadequate for constructing any meaningful kilometers of road. I questioned the rationale behind chosen this road over others with significantly higher traffic and economic importance, such as Minna-Suleja, Jebba-Mokwa-Makera-Tegina (leading to Birnin Gwari and Kaduna), and Bida-Lambata roads.
At no point did I suggest that any part of Niger State is less important. My argument was simple: when allocating scarce resources, economically viable roads with heavy human and commercial vehicular traffic should take precedence to maximize impact and benefit the most people. This in no way diminishes the importance of Agaie-Katcha-Baro Road, but the reality must be acknowledged— we should not be distracted to thinking Baro Port is operational, there is no port in Baro… for many years it has remained more of a monumental non- functional but failed asset.
I have been at the forefront of efforts to address the long-standing failure to dredge the River Niger and make Baro a viable economic hub. My advocacy has always been about ensuring real, tangible development, not empty promises. Unfortunately, some have chosen to ignore the facts, resorting instead to baseless attacks and distortions of my position without fully understanding the context of my comment.
Any attempt to twist my words to suggest that I am sidelining any part of Niger State is not only misleading but a deliberate attempt to distract the public from the real issue—ensuring that our state gets its fair share of infrastructure and economic development. My commitment remains unwavering in the fight for the holistic development of Niger State, and I will continue to advocate for equitable and impactful projects that serve the best interests of our entire people irrespective of geographical locations.
Signed:
*Senator Mohammed Sani Musa, CON*
(Niger East)
Chairman, Committee on Finance.
