Sylvanus Viashima, Jalingo
Nigeria’s former president Goodluck Jonathan has described peace as an indispensable ingredient for development and urged Nigerians to continuously strife for peace at all times and cost.
He made the assertion during a state visit to Taraba where he commission the phase (I) of 22km Jalingo dual carriageway in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital.
The former President insisted that the continued breach of peace among citizens contributed 60 per cent in thwarting the development of the state which placed Taraba among least developed state in the country in terms of infrastructure.
Jonathan stated that “peace is generally the responsibility of the citizens and is requisite to attract development, just as development and unity are the responsibility of the government. I commend Governor Darius Ishaku’s efforts in ensuring improve security in the state.
“I am happy to be in Taraba today to celebrate development in infrastructure. This is coming because the citizens have chosen to embrace peace rather than continue breach of the peace.
“Taraba is among the least developed states in Nigeria in terms of infrastructure today and you will agree with me that the breach of peace among citizens contributed 60 per cent for that. As a former president, I believe that peace is generally the responsibility of the citizens to attract development while development and unity among people is the responsibility of the government. There can not be development if peace is not given a chance. I urge you citizens of Taraba to embrace peace and prioritize it for speedy development of the state.
“I want to believe that the presence of infrastructure been celebrated today is due to the improve security situation here and I wish to commend governor Darius Ishaku and you the citizens for your efforts toward developing Taraba state” Jonathan said.
Earlier, governor Darius Ishaku noted at the occasion that his Rescue Mission blueprint has delivered the dividends of democracy to the people of Taraba State and salvaged the state from socio-economic backwardness through the massive provision of basic infrastructure with road development as the pivot.
“This project was awarded by this administration in December 2019 for a Contract Period of 18th months to Messrs Craneburg Construction Company Ltd of Lagos. The general public will bear witness to the fact that in 2020, soon after the contract was awarded the COVID-19 Pandemic set in. This in all facets affected the world economy with the attendant devaluation of our currency and dramatic increase in prices of petroleum products which in turn led to an unprecedented hike in the prices of construction materials.
“This dual carriageway and all its features is the climax of all the road projects executed by my administration; many of which have been completed and commissioned, while some are still ongoing. Despite all odds, we awarded road project contracts across all the geopolitical zones of the state.
“This decision, some people criticized as a proliferation of projects, but we believe it is plausible because these roads, even though not completed, have already eased the movement of people and goods along those communities. This project has been constructed to ease vehicular movement and for the safety of the residents of the state capital. It is a project that has gulped a lot of resources therefore, it is incumbent on all to protect the road from misuse and vandalism” Ishaku urged.