FG Begins Phase II Rehabilitation as Umahi Bags Ngas Traditional Title
By Joy Onu
After years of deterioration, the Babban Lamba–Sharam Road in Plateau State is set for a major upgrade following the Federal Government’s inauguration of the second phase of its rehabilitation, a project expected to improve transportation, expand economic opportunities and strengthen regional connectivity.
According to a statement issued on Friday by the Director of Information and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Works, Mohammed A. Ahmed, the project was flagged off in Plateau State, where the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, was also conferred with the traditional title of Ngorot Ngasmwa (Lover of Ngas) by the Ngas Kingdom in recognition of his contributions to infrastructure development.
At the inauguration, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s representative and National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, described the road as a strategic transport corridor linking the North Central with the North East and South East, while also providing wider access to the South-South.
He said rehabilitating the road would improve trade, create employment opportunities, promote tourism and strengthen economic integration, explaining that the project forms part of the Federal Government’s broader infrastructure renewal programme across the country’s six geopolitical zones.
Yilwatda urged the contractor, Messrs Decency Associates (Nigeria) Limited, to execute the project according to specifications and within schedule, while encouraging the firm to engage residents of communities along the project corridor during construction.
He also noted the historical significance of the area as the birthplace of former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, and the late former Governor of the old Benue-Plateau State, Joseph Gomwalk, adding that the rehabilitation would revive a road that had remained in poor condition for decades.
Echoing the Federal Government’s commitment to infrastructure renewal, Umahi said the project reflects the Tinubu administration’s determination to expand critical road infrastructure under the Renewed Hope Agenda, describing improved road networks as essential to economic growth and national integration.
The minister said his ministry remains open to constructive criticism and public accountability, stressing that objective feedback strengthens governance and improves service delivery. He added that ongoing federal road and bridge projects demonstrate the administration’s commitment to ensuring balanced infrastructure development across the country.
The project’s expected impact also featured prominently in the remarks of Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang, who described the rehabilitation as a major intervention that would reduce travel time, improve access to markets and unlock fresh investment opportunities for the state.
Mutfwang commended the Federal Government for sustaining investment in critical infrastructure, expressing confidence that the project would deliver lasting economic benefits to Plateau and neighbouring states.
Lawmakers at the event equally pledged continued support for the road sector. Chairman of the Senate Committee on Works, Senator Allwell Heacho Onyesoh, and Chairman of the House Committee on Works, Hon. Akin Alabi, assured the Ministry of Works of sustained legislative backing through budgetary provisions and effective oversight to ensure successful project delivery.
Former Plateau State Governor and Senator representing Plateau South, Simon Lalong, also welcomed the intervention, describing it as another indication of the Federal Government’s commitment to improving infrastructure in Plateau State and the wider North Central region.
Beyond the road project itself, one of the major highlights of the ceremony was the traditional honour bestowed on Umahi. The paramount ruler of Ngas land, Ngolong Ngas, His Majesty Nde Jika, conferred on the minister the title of Ngorot Ngasmwa (Lover of Ngas) in recognition of his contributions to infrastructure development in the kingdom.
The traditional ruler said the honour reflected the appreciation of the Ngas people for the minister’s commitment to road development and formally welcomed him into the Council of Traditional Title Holders.
The Babban Lamba–Sharam Road Phase II spans 38.625 kilometres from Babban-Dungun Village to Sharam, with an additional two-kilometre spur linking Dungun to Kwai.
According to the Federal Ministry of Works, the project is expected to improve mobility, facilitate trade and support long-term socio-economic development in Plateau State and neighbouring communities.
