From Jude Dangwam, Jos

Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang has announced the release of a substantial counterpart funding of N2 billion for the construction of over 331 kilometers of rural roads across Plateau State.The initiative, under the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), aims to connect isolated communities, enhance rural mobility, and improve market access for farmers, thereby fostering inclusive economic growth in local government areas such as Mangu, Shendam, Bassa, and Barkin Ladi.

Mutfwang made this known at the official flag-off of civil works at the newly designated Agrologistics Centres in Shendam, Barkin Ladi, Mangu and Bassa (Jingiri) local government areas of the state as part of hisndetermined to transform rural infrastructure and boost agricultural productivity.He noted that although the RAAMP project was initially conceived in 2021, meaningful progress only began with his administration’s intervention in 2023.In his words, “It took a lot of financial engineering and deliberate commitment to raise and release this N2 billion counterpart fund. This was not money lying in surplus; it was carefully sourced to catalyze development for our people.”The Governor further disclosed that Plateau State was recently ranked first nationwide in RAAMP implementation, a recognition he attributed to transparency, dedication, and collaborative stakeholder engagement.Mutfwang outlined broader development plans which include the establishment of agrologistics hubs, composite markets with storage facilities, and a strategic partnership with the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) to train 10,000 agribusiness youth over the next five years.“These markets are more than trading centres; they are data-driven hubs for aggregation and future agro-processing. Agriculture is the economy of tomorrow, and Plateau is being positioned to lead that future,” he emphasizedHe hinted at the legislative basis supporting the efforts, referencing the passage and signing into law of two key bills: the State Revolving Fund for Road Projects and the RAAMP Authority Establishment Law.Mutfwang called on local government chairmen, traditional rulers, and community leaders to actively oversee project execution and ensure strict compliance with quality standards.“We must be accountable; everyone has a role to play to guarantee success. This is about the Plateau, not political patronage. We retained competent hands because we are here to serve our people,” he emphasized.The Governor also presented symbolic “dud cheques” to the contractors, Mesotho Group Limited, Volkmal Limited, and Sunlink Nigeria Limited, with a charge to mobilize immediately to site and deliver quality work within the stipulated time frame leading up to 2026.The Governor reiterated his administration’s resolve to ensure that every kilometre constructed leaves a lasting impact on rural communities and contributes meaningfully to Plateau State’s economic transformation with over a year remaining in the current RAAMP cycle.He paid glowing tribute to the project’s pioneer coordinator, the late Matawal, for laying the foundation, and commended his successor, Daniel Temptsen, for his professionalism and resistance to political interference.Earlier, Salisu Abubakar, representing the National Coordinator of RAAMP, Aminu Bodinga Mohammed, announced a scale-up of the initiative, with an additional $575 million earmarked for the next phase.“These Agrologistics Centres will serve as aggregation and storage facilities to reduce post-harvest losses, foster market linkages for farmers, attract private sector agribusiness investment, and enhance service delivery to both farmers and agro-processors,” he said.He emphasized that the project is a testament to what can be achieved through effective collaboration between the Federal Government, Plateau State Government, and key development partners such as the World Bank, the African Development Bank (AfDB), and the French Development Agency (AFD).The Plateau State RAAMP Coordinator, Daniel Temptsen, in his remarks reaffirmed the scope of the project adding that the projects have direct impact on rural communities across the state.“We are constructing 331.01 kilometres of rural roads across various interventions in several local governments. In addition, we are building 45-metre cross drainages, and today marks the official commencement of civil works for the three newly established Agrologistics Centres.”As citizens, we are witnessing the Governor’s far-reaching developmental strides, not just in urban centres, but now extending to rural communities,” he noted.