Residents of Benue State have applauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration for its ongoing infrastructure drive, describing key road and bridge projects across the state as transformative interventions that will improve connectivity, boost commerce and end decades of transportation challenges.
The commendations came on Thursday as the Presidential Media Team, alongside the Renewed Hope Ambassadors, embarked on an inspection tour of major Federal and Benue State Government projects across the state.
The delegation, led by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, inspected the ongoing Buruku-Logo Bridge, the Wurukum Overhead Bridge in Makurdi, the 22-kilometre Makurdi-Gboko Road, the completed High-Level Roundabout Interchange in Makurdi, and the Gboko Underpass and Interchange.
Also visited were the ongoing 25.6-kilometre Captain Dan Road from Lubona Junction to the Tor Tiv Palace, Food Basket Brewery Limited in Makurdi, and the Federal Government-funded rehabilitation of the Buruku-Gboko Water Treatment Plant at Ameladu Headworks, one of Benue’s largest water infrastructure projects.
The inspection formed part of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors’ National Media Tour, an initiative involving more than 40 editors and journalists to independently assess, document and showcase the implementation and impact of Federal and State Government projects under the Tinubu administration.
Speaking during the tour, Onanuga said the Buruku-Logo Bridge was one of five Federal Government bridges currently under construction in Benue, adding that the projects demonstrate the administration’s commitment to investing borrowed funds in critical infrastructure.
He said the bridge would reconnect communities that had long been isolated, reduce travel time, improve farmers’ access to markets and strengthen economic integration among Benue, Taraba and Adamawa states.
According to him, the projects are being financed through the Renewed Hope Infrastructure Development Fund, with adequate funding already secured to ensure timely completion.
“This bridge is the fifth bridge the Federal Government is building in Benue State. Nigerians have often questioned the loans being taken by the government. Today, they can see where the money is going—to infrastructure that connects communities, promotes commerce and improves lives.
“Farmers will move their produce to markets more easily, travel time will be reduced, and this bridge will connect Benue with Taraba and Adamawa, strengthening regional integration and national development,” Onanuga said.
A major highlight of the tour was the inspection of the 1,754-metre Buruku-Logo Bridge, which will connect agrarian communities across the River Benue, provide easier access to neighbouring Taraba State and stimulate agriculture, trade and economic activities across the region.
Project officials disclosed that the construction has also created employment opportunities for more than 50 members of the host community.
Residents who spoke during the inspection described the bridge as a long-awaited intervention that would end years of dangerous river crossings, reduce the risk of fatal boat accidents during the rainy season and improve the livelihoods of thousands of people in surrounding communities.
Many also pledged continued support for President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, saying the visible progress of ongoing infrastructure projects had renewed public confidence in the Federal Government.
Speaking with journalists, Benue State Deputy Governor, Dr. Samuel Ode, expressed appreciation to the Federal Government for prioritising infrastructure development in the state, saying the projects would significantly ease transportation and stimulate economic growth.
He described the ongoing Wurukum Overhead Bridge as a crucial intervention on the Abuja-Lafia-Makurdi-Enugu corridor, noting that the junction had for years been a major traffic bottleneck, particularly during festive periods.
According to Ode, President Tinubu approved the project following a request by Governor Hyacinth Alia, with construction progressing at a rapid pace.
He also highlighted the state government’s investment in the Makurdi Central Interchange and Underpass, describing it as a transformative project that links Government House, the Central Business District, Wurukum and the Abuja-Enugu Highway while significantly improving traffic flow within Makurdi.
“Before now, we experienced severe gridlock at this location, especially during festive periods. Governor Hyacinth Alia appealed to Mr. President for the construction of an overhead bridge, and he graciously approved the request. Work is progressing rapidly, and the people of Benue are already excited about the project,” the deputy governor said.
Meanwhile, the 22-kilometre Makurdi-Gboko Road, which forms part of Phase II of the Abuja-Keffi-Akwanga-Lafia-Makurdi Expressway—a strategic corridor linking North Central Nigeria with the South-East—is expected to be completed by December 2027.
