By Sarah NEGEDU
The completion of the Gomani-Dafa-Yangoji Road has brought an end to decades of poor access in parts of Kwali Area Council, with residents expecting the project to boost farming, improve security and revive economic activities across the agrarian communities.
Traditional ruler of Kwali, the Etsu Kwali, Luka Nizassan III, and Chairman of the Kwali Area Council, Nuhu Daniel, said on Tuesday that the road has removed a major obstacle that for years cut communities off from markets, schools and essential services, particularly during the rainy season.
Nizassan described the project as a “major infrastructure milestone” and a long-awaited answer to the prayers of his people, commending President Bola Tinubu and FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, for delivering what previous administrations failed to achieve.
“We feel so delighted that this part of the area council is benefiting from government intervention. There is nothing happier than having you make demands and the demands have been met,” he said.
The traditional ruler said the road is one of the oldest routes in the old Abuja Emirate, now Suleja Emirate, dating back to the colonial era when it served as a corridor for tax collection. Despite its historical importance, he said, the route was abandoned for decades, with repeated efforts to rehabilitate it yielding no results.
According to him, the poor state of the road made security patrols difficult and slowed economic activities in the area.
“This road was so bad to the level that having security men accessing this place for patrols and search and combing became so difficult.
“It will improve the security of this area because people who commit heinous crimes do not like accessible areas.”
Nizassan said the road connects Yangoji on the Abuja-Lokoja Expressway to Dafa, Gomani and Pai, linking four political wards and providing a direct route for farmers to move produce to markets.
Also speaking, Daniel said the project has finally resolved the accessibility challenges that crippled farming, commerce and education in several communities.
“Now all our farm products will be brought out, and I think it will also boost economic activities within the area. Because we have farmlands, we have all kinds of other activities around here.”
The council chairman recalled that flooding around the Tungan Sarki bridge regularly cut off communities during the rainy season, preventing residents from reaching their farms and disrupting businesses.
“Honestly speaking, before the construction of this road, there were terrible challenges here. We also have another bridge around Tungan Sarki. That bridge cost us a lot because, sometimes, a large volume of water would overflow it.
“When that happened, people couldn’t cross to get to their farms, and other businesses inside the terrain were halted.
“It was especially tough for students; they couldn’t get access to cross to the neighboring community to go to school.”
Daniel said the road has removed a major barrier to development and would attract more investment into the area.
“I think solving this problem now has given us a green light. It shows that the government is on board and that the ‘Renewed Hope’ agenda of Mr. President is being fulfilled and is ongoing.
“With the commissioning of this road today, other economic activities will now be attracted to this environment. We know it is going to bring more achievements, not only to the Kwali Area Council but to the entire FCT.
“There are other investments further inside that can now boost the economic activities of the FCT as a whole.
“It has also created an enabling environment for people to thrive in their businesses, and it will further facilitate more job opportunities within the area.”
Nizassan urged residents to continue supporting the Tinubu administration, describing governance as “a game of give and take,” while expressing confidence that other promised projects, including pipe-borne water and the rehabilitation of schools in the area, would also be delivered.
