RENEWED Hope Ambassadors, a campaign group for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s second term bid, said the road, rail and other critical infrastructural projects funded by both federal and state governments are boosting socio-economic activities across the country.

Speaking during a media tour of major projects across the three North-Western states of Kaduna, Kano and Jigawa, the group, led by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the exercise was born out of criticisms that the Northern part of the country was marginalized by the federal government.

Journalists were taken round several projects at their different stages of completion, including drainages, dam, hospitals, schools, agriculture and skills acquisition centres.

Other members of the team include, former Minister of Sports and Social Development, Sunday Dare, the Media Director, Renewed Hope Ambassadors, Mr Tunde Rhaman and Mr Temitope Ajayi.

Beginning from Zuba in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the team inspected the concrete pavement expressway that stretches to Jere in Kaduna State, identified as Section One of the Abuja–Kaduna segment. The Resident Engineer, Chukwuma Kalu, said over 88 Kilometres of the road has been completed.

Some of the innovations on the rehabilitated corridor include recycling the existing asphalt pavement and reinforcing it with concrete and rods. According to him, the reinforced concrete pavement sits on a stabilized stone base and continues to gain strength over time, particularly with water.

He assured of the durability of the road and its ability to withstand heavy traffic loads, unlike traditional asphalt roads that deteriorate faster under pressure from heavy-duty vehicles.  The multi-billion naira flyover located at Dan Agundi and the existing ground level connecting to Atiku Abubakar Road, when completed, will solve over 80 per cent of the traffic congestion in the state.

The project, which is funded with the internally generated revenue is due for completion this month.

“Since the people of Kano saw where their money is going, they no longer hesitate to pay tax. Moreover, we have an additional source from the federal government, which is as a result of this subsidy being removed. This money is helping us boost revenue for more projects”, said the Commissioner for Works, Engineer Marwan Ahmed Aminu.

The drainage project site in Jakara-Korungogau currently under construction will address the problem of the poor sanitation that have exposed residents to malaria and other related environmental diseases.
According to the state, the N47 billion 6.7-kilometre ecological project, described as one of the largest drainages in the state, serving over 10 communities, was stalled for lack of resources until the intervention of the federal government.

“We thanked Mr President for coming to the rescue of Kano people. We also commend the Governor because we have seen a lot of projects being embarked upon by this administration, which showed that the state government is aligning with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu. The north has the highest number of infrastructure projects across the country”, said the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (North-West), Abdullahi Tanko Yakasai said.

At the Hasiya Bayero Pediatric Hospital, it was recalled that the intervention of governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, led to the recovery of the facility in a dilapidated condition after it was sold by the previous administration for meagre amount.

In his remarks, the Commissioner of Health, Dr Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, said that the 80-bed capacity hospital that was recovered and renovated by Governor Yusuf.

The team visited the Muhammad Abdullahi Wase Specialist Hospital, a 230-bed capacity tertiary hospital owned by the state government, currently undergoing a total renovation.

At the Day Science College, Commissioner for Education, Ali Haruna Makoda, noted that education sector suffered neglect for almost a decade, prompting the governor to declare a state of emergency on the sector.

“So, in 2024 and 2025 respectively, he allocated a lion share of the budget to education. In 2024, 29.75 per cent was allocated to education, 31.5 per cent in 2025 and N430 billion out of the N1.4 trillion budget went to education.
“The projects cut across the across 484 wards of the state. We renovated a lot of schools, introduced free-uniform to our primary school pupils”, Makoda said.

Noting an annual enrolment figure of over 4,900 million pupils for basic and post-basics education, the Commissioner said the state still sets aside substantial amount for school uniforms for the early primary pupils. He added that over 18,000 teachers have been recruited in the last three years.

“Every year, we sponsor our candidates for external examinations. This year alone, we set aside N4.4 billion to sponsor more than 153,000 candidates for this.”

According to him, 1,000 workers were engaged from the host communities. Also, through the assistance from the office of National Security Adviser (NSA) and members of the local communities, workers have enjoyed relative peace.

“Generally, we don’t have any major security threats because we have enjoyed strong community cooperation. So, our target for the completion of Section One is today, May 1, and Section Two would be completed in November. We work day and night and we are totally dedicated to completing it on time.”

Equally visited was a 51-km East-West Kaduna Bypass being executed by Dangote Group under the credit scheme. Federal Controller of Roads in charge of Kaduna State, Engineer Ulagu Loveday, informed that about 19.97 km (40 per cent) has been constructed in the Western end of the Kaduna Bypass, giving December as the completion date.

The contract was awarded in 2021 but work was delayed for two years over tax credit issues. The extended completion date is December.

Speaking on the Eastern Bypass, Kaduna State Commissioner for Information and Culture, Ahmed Maiyaki, said the road, which was stalled for 22 years for lack of funds till President Tinubu’s intervention will free Kaduna city from gridlock.

“At the end of this year, we would be able to move from Kakao Bridge down to the Kaduna area, avoiding gridlock,” Maiyaki stated.

He also commended the State government for investing heavily on infrastructure across the state, one of which is the 35km asphaltic road linking Gadar-Gayan, Gwaraji and Kujama, described as the longest single road project in the history of Kaduna State.  It includes a 130-metre bridge over River Kaduna and stretches across Igabi, Kajuru and Chikun Local Government Areas.

“The road is part of the 140 road projects covering 1,335 kilometres across the state delivered by Senator Uba Sani administration. It directly serves no fewer than 76 farming and rural communities. It has improved mobility, agriculture and rural economic activities across the benefiting local government areas”, Maiyaki said.

This road network connects 66 farming communities, many of which previously lacked access to markets, healthcare facilities and schools. In fact, it is already delivering social and economic benefits, including reduction of travel time, improving access to healthcare and enhancement of school attendance.

“Beyond road construction, the state government has also upgraded 255 primary healthcare centres to higher standards, equipped them with solar power for 24-hour electricity and employed about 1,800 health workers, with plans to recruit 9,000 more over the next five years.

“In the education sector, improved road access is helping to address challenges of school enrolment and retention, ensuring that children attend school consistently.”

Myaki informed that introduction of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses by the state government helped in providing free transportation across the state. He noted that since their deployment in mid-2025, the buses have transported about 3 million passengers at no cost, saving residents an estimated N3 billion.

Addressing journalists after, Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, commended President Tinubu for approving large-scale projects in northern Nigeria, noting that evidences of commitment to regional development abound.

He faulted critics over allegations that President Tinubu neglected the north, stressing that no other region has benefitted as much as the north since Tinubu came into power.

He also acknowledged improved security situation in the state as well as reduction in communal and religious crises especially the farmer-herder conflicts, which had previously affected some parts of the state.

In his remarks, Onanuga applauded the scale of projects in the state, describing them as “a tip of the iceberg” of President Tinubu’s achievements. He added that the government has demonstrated commitment to delivering on its promises, attributing the progress made so far to the administration’s bold economic reforms.

He added that the removal of fuel subsidy and foreign exchange controls have freed up resources for development and increased funding for states.

The impacts of these policies, he said, are visible in infrastructure expansion and economic activities across Kaduna State.

In Kano State, several projects executed by the federal and state governments, including the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano federal road, the Kano stretch of the rail line, dams, schools and hospital structures were toured.

The state’s Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya, described the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano federal road as very important to Kano people as commuters now travel smoothly even at night, particularly along the Dawakin Tofa axis into Kano metropolis. The multibillion naira flyover located at Dan Agundi and the existing ground level connecting to Atiku Abubakar Road, when completed, will solve over 80 per cent of the traffic congestion in the state.

The project, which is funded with the internally generated revenue is due for completion this month.

“Since the people of Kano saw where their money is going, they no longer hesitate to pay tax. Moreover, we have an additional source from the federal government, which is as a result of this subsidy being removed.

This money is helping us boost revenue for more projects”, said the Commissioner for Works, Engineer Marwan Ahmed Aminu.

The drainage project site in Jakara-Korungogau currently under construction will address the problem of the poor sanitation that have exposed residents to malaria and other related environmental diseases.

According to the state, the N47 billion 6.7-kilometre ecological project, described as one of the largest drainages in the state, serving over 10 communities, was stalled for lack of resources until the intervention of the federal government.

“We thanked Mr President for coming to the rescue of Kano people. We also commend the Governor because we have seen a lot of projects being embarked upon by this administration, which showed that the state government is aligning with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu.

The north has the highest number of infrastructure projects across the country”, said the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (North-West), Abdullahi Tanko Yakasai said.

At the Hasiya Bayero Pediatric Hospital, it was recalled that the intervention of governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, led to the recovery of the facility in a dilapidated condition after it was sold by the previous administration for meagre amount.

In his remarks, the Commissioner of Health, Dr Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, said that the 80-bed capacity hospital that was recovered and renovated by Governor Yusuf.

The team visited the Muhammad Abdullahi Wase Specialist Hospital, a 230-bed capacity tertiary hospital owned by the state government, currently undergoing a total renovation.

At the Day Science College, Commissioner for Education, Ali Haruna Makoda, noted that education sector suffered neglect for almost a decade, prompting the governor to declare a state of emergency on the sector.

“So, in 2024 and 2025 respectively, he allocated a lion share of the budget to education. In 2024, 29.75 per cent was allocated to education, 31.5 per cent in 2025 and N430 billion out of the N1.4 trillion budget went to education.
“The projects cut across the across 484 wards of the state. We renovated a lot of schools, introduced free-uniform to our primary school pupils”, Makoda said.

Noting an annual enrolment figure of over 4,900 million pupils for basic and post-basics education, the Commissioner said the state still sets aside substantial amount for school uniforms for the early primary pupils. He added that over 18,000 teachers have been recruited in the last three years.

“Every year, we sponsor our candidates for external examinations. This year alone, we set aside N4.4 billion to sponsor more than 153,000 candidates for this.”

The team also toured the Kafin Chiri Dam in Kano South Senatorial District, which was said to have been abandoned due to lack of funds until President Tinubu approved funds for completion.

In Dutse, Jigawa State, some projects, including the 400- kilometre Kaduna-Kano-Jigawa and Katsina-Maradi railway line was toured.  Engineer Abdullahi Yakubu of the Federal Ministry of Transportation said spoke about the Kaduna-Kano and the Kaduna-Kano-Jigawa-Katsina-Maradi rail projects.

According to Yakubu, the project, designed to boost socio-economic activities for Nigerians and the people of Niger Republic, has attained 60 per cent completion.

At the Renewed Hope Technical Services Limited, Dutse, the Director General, Economic Empowerment and Youth Employment Agency, Habib Muhammad Ubali, said the fabrication workshop and painting bay built by the Governor, comprises of main construction and fabrication workshop, offices and equipment rooms.

On ground where some of the manufactured goods – a two-bedroom water cabin at near completion, bunk beds being constructed for secondary schools, hospital beds, traffic lights and other equipment.

According to Ubali, the centre will serve for capacity building hub for youths as well as generate income for the state.

Ubali held that to reduce crime, the youth must be kept busy. “If you don’t keep them busy, they will keep you busy the other way around. So, we are keeping them busy by getting them something to do in order to earn a decent living, be busy and also contribute their quota towards the development of the state and the country at large.”

At the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Multi-Purpose Skills Acquisition Centre, Dutse, remodeled by the state governor, Mallam Umar Namadi, youths are trained in 14 different trades for economic self-reliant.

Ubali expressed the connection between the Renewed Hope agenda of President Tinubu and the governor’s 12-Point Agenda for the state.

“Mr President places so much emphasis on the youths. So, also our governor. His campaign manifesto centered majorly on how the state can accommodate the youths through the establishment of small-scale industries, and that is the reason for bringing this centre to life.

“We are able to train at least, 300 young people at a time. We have embroidery factory here, where we make the kind of garments that we were importing from Morocco, Mali and other parts of the world. We now produce them in Jigawa State.

“We shall be graduating about 1,500 young people annually across the eight other centres. With this project, we can curtail the security challenges in the country. Idle young people are usually conscripted into social evils but by establishing such training centers across the state, Jigawa has become one of the safest states”, Ubali said.

The tour is expected to cover even states not under the All Progressives Congress (APC), to showcase benefits of funds from the federal government.