OUTCRY OVER NAMNI BRIDGE: CRITIC CALLS FOR RESIGNATION OF MINISTER OF STATE FOR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT
By Our Correspondent
A fresh controversy has erupted over the prolonged delay in the reconstruction of the collapsed Namnai Bridge in Taraba State, as public affairs commentator, Abdulumin Imam, has accused the Minister of State for Regional Development, Uba Maigari Ahmadu, of deliberately frustrating the project.
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In a strongly worded statement circulated on social media, Imam alleged that the continued hardship faced by residents of Taraba State following the collapse of the strategic Namnai Bridge was not due to bureaucratic lapses, but what he described as “intentional interference from within government.”
According to him, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had approved the sum of ₦16.5 billion at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for the emergency reconstruction of the bridge under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Works. He stated that funds had been made available, designs completed, and that work ought to have commenced promptly.
However, Imam claimed that the project was allegedly taken over by the North East Development Commission (NEDC) under the influence of the Minister of State for Regional Development, thereby preventing the Ministry of Works from executing the FEC-approved mandate.
He questioned whether the NEDC or the minister had powers superior to that of the Federal Executive Council, arguing that such an action amounted to a clear violation of due process.
Imam further alleged that the NEDC initially lacked the technical design for the bridge and had to seek the design from the Ministry of Works, a development he said cast serious doubts on claims that the project rightly belonged to the commission.
“If the project was truly that of the NEDC, why did they have to lobby the Ministry of Works for the design?” he queried.
He maintained that the consequences of the delay have been severe, citing loss of lives, disruption of economic activities, and prolonged suffering of communities that depend on the Jalingo–Wukari corridor for commerce and mobility.
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The critic also dismissed recent claims of ongoing work on an alternative access road in the area, describing them as vague and unconvincing, insisting that no clearly identifiable progress had been made on the ground.
Imam further claimed that even the Minister of Works had reportedly acknowledged that the bridge would have been completed, or near completion, if not for the alleged interference.
Describing the situation as “intentional sabotage rather than bureaucratic confusion,” Imam called for the immediate resignation or removal of Uba Maigari Ahmadu, stressing that Taraba State deserved accountability and urgent intervention.
“Taraba deserves the bridge. Taraba deserves accountability. Enough is enough,” he declared.
As at the time of filing this report, neither the Minister of State for Regional Development nor the NEDC had issued an official response to the allegations.
