Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, highlighted the critical role rural dwellers play in food and livestock production and emphasized the necessity for government efforts at all levels to incentivize these communities by providing connectivity and access, essential for sustainable economic growth. Governor Inuwa Yahaya made these remarks at the launch of the $575 million Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), aimed at providing roads for farmers and boosting the rural economy, held in Abuja.
The project was officially launched by President Muhammadu Buhari, represented by Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum. RAAMP, an initiative of the Federal Government, seeks to improve rural access and agricultural marketing in participating states, strengthening the financing and institutional base for the development, maintenance, and management of the rural road network. The project is supported by the World Bank, French Development Agency (AFD), and International Development Association (IDA).
During the flag-off ceremony at the main auditorium of the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Governor Inuwa spoke on behalf of his colleagues from the participating states. He noted that 80 to 85 percent of Nigerians, particularly in the North, live in rural areas with agriculture as their primary occupation. He emphasized the significant impact of agricultural activities on the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and assured that governors across the 36 states would continue to support agricultural marketing and access for rural farmers.
“We have given this commitment and we shall continue to do so, and we are happy that the project will be scaled up to all the remaining states so that it can cover the whole of the country which I believe the benefits are going to be enormous, especially in agricultural production which is an area that people are really engaged in,” he stated.
Governor Inuwa Yahaya also highlighted his administration’s road revolution project, Network Eleven Hundred, in Gombe State, which aims to provide at least one hundred kilometers of roads in each of the state’s eleven local government areas. Launched in 2020, the initiative has already covered a total of 320 kilometers of roads, facilitating increased agricultural and socio-economic activities by opening up rural areas.
He expressed concern over the neglect of road maintenance and rehabilitation across the country and assured that the governors of the 36 states would commit to the smooth implementation of RAAMP to ensure food sufficiency and create employment opportunities.
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mahmood Abubakar, stated that the project would be jointly financed by the International Development Association (IDA) with a contribution of $280 million, the French Development Agency (AFD) contributing $230 million, and the Government providing $65 million.
Goodwill messages were also delivered by the French Ambassador to Nigeria, and the Country Directors of the World Bank and AFD, among others.