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From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi
The Coordinator, Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), Benue State, Mr Stephen Numbeve, has disclosed that the agency would construct 53 rural roads covering 500 kilometers across the 23 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state.
Numbeve stated this while speaking with members of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) Benue State Council, in his office in Makurdi.
He explained that Benue RAAMP is a World Bank Office that derives money from World Bank, African Development Bank, European Investment Bank, Fresh Bank among other International Association who fund rural access projects saying “Unfortunately for Benue RAAMP, it has not benefited from funds from the International Development Associations,(IDAs).
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He said the aim of RAAMP is to build rural access for farmers to move their products from the farms to the market as well as ensuring that there are markets for farmers to market their products.
“We also have to make warehouses available in the markets, provide toilets as well as other facilities but since 2016 that RAAMP came to Benue, we have not benefited from the International funds.”
He however noted that about six states of the federation including Benue, Anambra, Edo, Cross River, Taraba and Borno have secured funds from the European Investment Bank.
He said all relevant documentations have been signed and the states were waiting for disbursement.
He noted that the immediate past Governor Samuel Ortom administration paid a counterpart funding of N1.5 billion but could not access the funds and as a result, his predecessor could not do much as he used to money to construct one road in Guma LGA with three others roads are various stages of completion in other parts of the state.
Numbeve said in addition to the 300 km roads which design work has already been done, he has signed another contract for a 200 km road and the contractors would be mobilized to site as soon as the funds get to Benue’s treasury.
“This will cut across 53 roads across the 23 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state,” he added.
Stressing the importance of the roads, Numbeve explained that apart from giving farmers easy access to markets, they would also assist in tackling insecurity.
“If the roads are opened up it will enable security personnel to move to security flash points with ease,” he said.
Speaking further, the RAAMP State Coordinator said “We have also given consultants to work on warehouses. RAAMP will construct six warehouses across the state, two in each zone. So we are hopeful that as soon as these monies hit Benue accounts, we will advertise the roads,” he said.
He said that staff of the agency were being owed arrears for several months by his predecessor saying when he assumed office he cleared all the arrears.
