Nigerians appreciate my commitment to greater Nigeria - Buhari

The president stated this when he received a delegation comprising Borgu people from Niger, Kebbi, Kwara and Kishi in Oyo State who were in the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Thursday, to felicitate with him on his re-election for another four-term in office.

President Buhari reiterated his administration’s determination to continue to provide infrastructure to all communities across the country to uplift the quality of life of all citizens.

He said such commitment would not only be sustained but enhanced in the next level as part of deliberate efforts to guarantee sustainable future for the citizenry as well as generations yet unborn.

The President, who noted the various requests from Borgu kingdom, assured the people of favourable response by government within the limits of available resources.

He thanked members of the delegation and the people of Borgu for expressing their support and love for him before, during and after the just concluded presidential election.

The Emir Of Borgu Mohammed Dantoro had earlier told the President that the people of Borgu Kingdom appreciated his resilience in championing the cause for public good as well as stable and prosperous Nigeria

He specifically thanked the president for the recent award of contract for the construction of new Bussa – Kaiama road which he described as an open sore on the conscience of the nation.

“We therefore greatly appreciate Mr. President’s recent award of the 80km New Bussa-Kaiama Road, which for an entire generation was an open sore on the conscience of the nation.

“By Your Excellency’s singular award of this life changing road project, the endless tears of our people in the past generation have at last been wiped from our faces.

“We and our people yet unborn are grateful beyond words. Our people are therefore full of hope that very soon the Federal Government will commence serious construction work on New Bussa-Kaiama road.

In the above regard, the good people of Borgu Kingdom will continue to thank Your Excellency for being our father and our champion.

“We recall that over a decade ago as the then Chairman of PTF, Your Excellency approved for us, the construction of Mokwa-New Bussa-Wawa-Rofia Road with a bridge at Zamare linking Yauri in Kebbi State which was abandoned by the civilian government that took over in 1999, thereby dashing the hope of Borgu people,’’ he said.

The Emir expressed the hope that the roads project if completed had the potential of shortening the Birnin Kebbi-Ilorin-Ibadan to Lagos distance from the present 13 hours to about eight hours, in addition to relieving traffic from the over-stretched Mokwa-Jebba Road.

According to him, this singular project has a huge potential of optimising the agriculture, tourism and transportation sectors in the North West and South West.

Dantoro also made a case for amongst others the creation of Borgu State, establishment of export oriented processing factories international border market and Naval formation along the banks of Kainji lake.

He also called for the funding and strengthening of HYPPADEC to tackle the unique challenges facing communities hosting hydroelectric installations across the country, of which Borgu community was an integral part.