At flag-off of projects, Adamawa Governor Fintiri says issues of development beyond petty realms of politics

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By Joseph Adahnu, Yola

Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Fintiri says despite his achievement, he is often asked why is he investing so much in Yola, with some adding political colour to it.

“But my simple answer is that, issues of development are beyond the petty realm of politics,” he said.

Governor Fintiri stated this during the groundbreaking of 7span overhead bridge along Yola AA Lawan junction and half Cloverleaf Interchange at Numan-Yola road and the flag-off of reconstruction of the N4.7billion Adamawa State Stadium complex.

Fintiri words: “This groundbreaking is one in the series of such commitments toward the achievement of that vision. I am often asked why am I investing so much in Yola? Some have even reductively added a political colour to it. But my simple answer is that: issues of development are beyond the petty realms of politics.”

The Governor said “as part of our recommitment to urban renewal campaign, we have design the superhighway would now commence from the half cloverleaf interchange at Numan-Yola road and empty its traffic at the 7 span overhead Bridge along Yola A. A. Lawan Junction.

“This design is a masterpiece that would add not only municipal ecstatic to the city but provide the necessary convenience to commuters plying the road. These two projects are very important because of their strategic status in completing the superhighway we flagged up on 10th October 2023,” he added.

Gov Fintiri reiterated that, “the most impressive justification for the project, is the fact that it passes through Malkohi a community that houses the 1000 Housing Estate which is the largest Housing estate ever embarked upon by any administration in the history of Adamawa State. It would also be the second suitable route into Yola the nerve center of the Fombina Emirate.”

He emphasized that, “with the speed at which Yola is expanding, attracting new residents and inhabitants by the day, the pressure on the limited urban facility is increasing just as the anticipated investment in the metropole is growing. We must therefore brace up to mitigate the future challenges that definitely await us.”

Gov. Fintiri said the necessary infrastructure that would positively respond to such geometric cosmopolitan growth and mutual socio economic cross pollination is therefore a smart thinking for any responsible leadership that is forwards looking.

“From the first term to the second term, we have been deliberate about making the provision of infrastructure through urban renewal, a consistent item in our development agenda for obvious reasons. We are clear on what we want to achieve with the campaign”, Fintiri added.

The vision is to reinvent an Adamawa state with a mega capital city that holds all the municipal trappings. A vision of building a city where citizens’ choice of place of settlement is decided not by the availability of municipal infrastructure but the choice of other determinants.

He noted that, “besides Yola is our state capital and it belongs to all of us. This is the pride of every patriotic citizen of Adamawa state. A home to all of us. We have a duty to grow and build it. anybody with a contrary opinion, must have been a passive tenant and there is a wisdom in the popular Hausa saying that: Dan Haya baya gyaran gida; meaning tenants don’t fix broken houses. Only landlords do”.

While the flag off, Fintiri noted that “today, the joy in my heart knows no bound as we embark on yet another journey of bringing back the glory of Adamawa State. As we gather here to flag-off the reconstruction of the Adamawa State Stadium complex, I feel a sense of fulfilment given the history of this project. It is an important project, conceived with the best of intentions but abandoned by successive governments.

“As government, we have dimensioned the significance of this project to our teaming youths especially our enthusiastic sports men and women and importantly to the investment climate in the state and came to a conclusion that the value it brings to the table far outweighs any pecuniary consideration. Globally, sport has come to play a critical role in human activities.

The stadium complex is our modest initial investment in this enterprise. This stadium would boost sport activities in the State and provide the right ground to harness the sporting talents of our youths, have them gainfully and productively engaged and expose their talents to the world thereby creating the enabling market for sporting talents and their off takers.

For Adamawa state, the era of going to the neighbouring states to play games is over. I want to sit down here, munching my popcorn and watching our Adamawa United, hosting and beating their opponents in this stadium.

The stadium is one of our additions to doubling our effort in putting in place the enabling infrastructure for opening up the state to investors. We hope to host national and international games here.

Fintiri reiterated that, “like I have said it earlier, sport is now a multiples tune industry. The opportunities there are boundless. I am calling on our business community to invest in it.

This is what the reconstruction of this stadium partly represents. The contractors, Messrs Aron Nig. Ltd, have given us the assurance that the project will be completed in 15 months. We take their words – 15 months is 15 months. No delays and we expect nothing less than quality delivery; for that is the hallmark of this administration.