Odimmegwa Johnpeter/Abuja
The Honourable Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has said the Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway will boost agriculture and open new economic opportunities for communities and states along the 1,000-kilometre corridor, including Kebbi State. This was contained in a statement signed by Rabiu Ibrahim, mnipr, Special Assistant on Media to the Honourable Minister of Information and National Orientation.
The Minister stated this when he received the Kebbi State Commissioner for Information, Hon. Yakubu Ahmed Birnin-Kebbi, and members of the state Governor’s media team on a courtesy visit on Wednesday in Abuja.
Idris said about 250 kilometres of the highway would pass through Kebbi State, making the project an important opportunity for the state to expand agriculture, improve trade and strengthen economic activities.
“The Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway is not just designed to link communities, states and cities together. It is also designed to provide an avenue for the advancement of economic activities in the corridor. About 250 kilometres of that super highway will pass through Kebbi State,” he said.
The Minister noted that the project would create opportunities beyond road transportation, explaining that about 63 dams are expected along the corridor, with potential benefits for agriculture, power generation and other economic activities.
He also commended the Kebbi State Government for its cooperation with the Federal Government, particularly in agriculture, infrastructure and security, saying such collaboration was important to national development.
“I have witnessed first-hand what collaboration between the Federal Government and the states can achieve in agriculture. In Kebbi, we saw large-scale tomato farming and women actively participating in agriculture and earning livelihoods,” Idris said.
He recalled that the Federal Government’s investment in major infrastructure projects, including the Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway, was part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s efforts to take development closer to the people and create conditions for businesses and communities to thrive.
“The population of Nigeria exists mainly in the states, not in Abuja. That is why the Federal Government continues to work with state governments to take development to where the people are,” he said.
Earlier, the Kebbi State Commissioner for Information said the delegation was in Abuja to brief the Minister on the achievements of the state government and strengthen its relationship with the Federal Government.
“We are here to tell the story of Kebbi State and to show the progress being made. With the support of the Federal Government, Kebbi has enormous potential for agriculture, infrastructure and economic development,” he said.
He said Kebbi had made progress in agriculture, education, healthcare, infrastructure and security, adding that the state was committed to working with the Federal Government to unlock its development potential.
The Minister assured the delegation that the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation would continue to communicate development initiatives across the country and support efforts to ensure that Nigerians are informed about opportunities created by government investments.
In attendance were the Director, Public Relations and Protocol, Suleiman Haruna, PhD, among other senior management staff.
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