Balanga residents in Gombe reject claims of road neglect

By Ben Ngwakwe, Gombe

Residents of Balanga Local Government Area of Gombe State have rejected claims that the area has been neglected in the implementation of the state government’s 11–100 Road Network initiative.

A Gombe-based social commentator, Hon. Aminu Turaki, made the position known in a statement on Thursday while reacting to comments attributed to Abuja-based politician, IG Wala, on the road projects of Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya.

Turaki urged Wala and other critics of the administration to base their assessment of government projects on verifiable facts and evidence rather than selective figures.

He maintained that residents of Balanga were in the best position to assess the impact of the road projects, having directly witnessed and used the infrastructure.

“Let me state this clearly: Balanga LGA cannot honestly be presented as a victim of road neglect under Danmajen Gombe,” he said.

Turaki cited the Talasse–Dong–Junge–Reme–Degri, Bambam–Kutare–Mwona and Billiri–Dogon Ruwa–Bakassi–Gelengu road corridors as some of the major interventions in the area.

According to him, the projects have improved connectivity, facilitated movement and enhanced access for farmers, traders and residents across several communities.

He also faulted what he described as the use of cumulative budget figures to assess the implementation of the 11–100 Road Network, arguing that such figures did not necessarily represent funds spent exclusively on the initiative.

“A cumulative sectoral allocation over several years cannot automatically be equated with money spent exclusively on the 1,100 kilometres of the 11–100 initiative because public budgets contain multiple projects, programmes, recurrent obligations, rehabilitation works, counterpart funding, maintenance and other infrastructure interventions,” he said.

The social commentator said legitimate questions should instead focus on verifiable issues, including the number of kilometres completed, projects under construction and roads still required in different communities.

He, however, acknowledged that the state government should remain accountable for projects that were abandoned, delayed or poorly executed.

“No administration is perfect, and Danmajen Gombe should equally be held accountable where projects are abandoned, delayed or poorly executed. But fairness demands that we also acknowledge achievements that are visible in our communities,” he said.

Turaki said recognising the achievements of an administration did not amount to sycophancy, but was part of ensuring fairness and objectivity in public discourse.

He further urged political actors and commentators to distinguish between legitimate scrutiny and partisan criticism, saying infrastructure projects should be assessed based on their actual impact on residents.

“For us in Balanga, the 11–100 Road Network is not merely a government slogan or a social media statistic. We have seen the roads. We use the roads. Our communities benefit from the roads,” he said.

He listed residents of Talasse, Dong, Junge, Reme, Degri, Bambam, Kutare, Mwona, Dogon Ruwa, Bakassi and Gelengu among those who, he said, could attest to the impact of the projects.

Turaki urged critics of the governor to continue scrutinising the administration where necessary but cautioned against ignoring infrastructure projects that, according to him, were visible and already benefiting communities in Balanga.

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