Fintiri justifies his administration’s huge investments in flyovers at 59th birthday lecture
• Says Yola’s expansion, rising investments, traffic challenges informed urban renewal drive
By Mohammed Ismail
Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, has explained the circumstances that informed his administration’s decision to embark on the construction of multiple flyovers in Yola, saying the initiative was inspired by a challenge posed by former Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo in 2019.
Fintiri disclosed this on Tuesday at a public lecture organised to mark his 59th birthday in Yola, where he recalled how Osinbajo, during a visit to the state shortly after he assumed office as governor, questioned the absence of flyovers in the state capital.
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According to the governor, the former vice-president’s observation became a turning point in his administration’s approach to urban renewal and the development of transportation infrastructure in Adamawa State.
Recounting the encounter, Fintiri said Osinbajo had asked why the state has not constructed flyovers to address traffic challenges in Yola during a drive from the airport in September 2019.
“There and then, I took up the challenge,” the governor recalled, explaining how the conversation contributed to the thinking behind his administration’s subsequent infrastructure drive.
The account provides an insight into the thinking behind Fintiri’s signature urban renewal programme, which has seen the construction of flyovers and major road projects in and around the state capital.
Fintiri’s explanation also comes amid public interest in the rationale for committing substantial resources to elevated road infrastructure, with questions about the projects’ costs, traffic benefits and competing development priorities remaining relevant to assessments of the government’s performance.
The governor has consistently presented the flyovers as part of a broader strategy to prepare Yola for population growth, increasing commercial activity and expanding investment, rather than merely as projects intended to improve the city’s appearance.
In 2020, while flagging off two flyovers and township roads in Jimeta, Fintiri said the projects were designed not only to improve the city’s aesthetics but also to accommodate anticipated population growth and urban expansion.
His administration subsequently expanded the programme, including the construction of additional overpasses and an interchange intended to improve movement along major routes connecting parts of the state capital.
In October 2023, the governor flagged off another flyover project at the former Mubi Road Roundabout, alongside adjoining road reconstruction, at a reported contract sum of approximately N9.26 billion.
The state government has said the projects are intended to ease vehicular movement, improve connectivity and support the capital’s development as an increasingly important commercial centre in the North-East.
The lecture, titled “Democracy and Development: The Imperatives of People-Centred Governance,” was delivered by Osinbajo at the Government House in Yola.
It attracted prominent political leaders, including governors from the North-East and other parts of the country, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, traditional rulers, academics and other dignitaries.
Taraba State Governor Agbu Kefas chaired the occasion, while the governors of Gombe, Borno, Bauchi and Plateau states were among those who attended the occasion.
The gathering provided a platform for discussions on leadership, democratic governance and development.
Fintiri, who said he was not particularly given to birthday celebrations, explained that he preferred to use the occasion to reflect on his life, public service and the impact of political leadership on society.
He argued that politics and governance remain central to development, stressing the need for leaders to look beyond the number of years they have lived or spent in office and consider the contributions they have made to the public.
The governor also announced plans to establish the Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri Foundation after leaving office. He said the foundation would provide scholarships and other forms of assistance to vulnerable members of society.
