Recalled the glorious days of Directorate of Roads, Food and Rural Infrastructure(DFRI), when government directives were treated with fiat, that was the period the Dumne Community in Song Local Government Area got it first ever blessings from the then military President, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida(IBB) when he commissioned the 48 kilometer road ostensibly to create access to the agriculturally rich area to the outside world.
The pomp and pageantry with which the commissioning of the Mararaba Dumne- Shelleng road was celebrated was not only unprecedented, but a water shed in the history of rural emancipation by the then military administration.
Stories surrounding the construction revealed that as part of activities to commemorate a historic visit of the Head of State to the then Gongola state, construction work on the Dumne access road was hastily designed, graded, constructed and tarred in less than 24 hours and set ready for commissioning by IBB.
Good as the approach was for Yungur Community, the joy which came with the vision was Short lifted as only 3 out of the 48 kilometer road was graded, constructed and tarred for the president's visit.
This means the remaining 45 kilometer length of the road had to remain until their kingdom comes as it is the situation today. What left many dumbfounded was how the president was stopped at Mararaba where the construction started and shamelessly told that the tarred road extended to Shelleng.
Every explanation on the nature of the work carried in 1987, was given to the president and his entourage at Mararaba unknown to the military president that the construction covered only 3 kilometers.
Unfortunately, since the president and his entourage left and workers on the road demobilised, nothing has been done on the road by successive administrations in the state and even at the federal level for over 32 years now.
In fact, despite it huge population with agricultural and economic background, landmass, chiefdoms, market squares and untapped endowed natural resources, the inhabitants of the Yungur land are without access road to ease the transportation of goods and services.
Giving that scenario, the construction which earlier brought hope not only to the inhabitants of Yungur land but the outside world, turned out to be a generational disappointment and regrets. To say the least, it was designed as a political gimmicks to appease IBB.
Today, the road which remains the only gate way to Yungur land is nothing but death trap, denying the people free movement.
But narrating the story of the failed road project, the former Commissioner Ministry of Education, Benson B. Atanga said that Mararaba Dumne-Shelleng road project was initiated during the regime of former Military President under DFRI, saying that the project was supervised by Gongola state government under the leadership of Wing Commander Jonah David Jang (rtd).
Benson Atanga said that work started on the road in 1986 where they graded it from Mararaba to Dumne down to Shelleng, adding that around 1987 the President visited the state and was asked to commission the project based on the information given to him that the work on the road had been executed 100 percent.
He disclosed that when the news of president's visit broke, those handling the projects used torchlight when at night and tarred the road within 3 days to the visit, saying after the 3 kilometer tarred road nothing was done on the remaining 45 kilometers.
Benson Atanga who was the sole Administrator of Song LGA at that time, explained that since then neither the Federal Government nor State has ever taken any action on the road again, but failed promises from the successive governments.
According to him, when the road is constructed, the evacuation of farm produce will be easier and that it will boost socio economic activities in the area and the state in general, saying that Yungur people need immediate action on the road so as to ameliorate their hardship.
He pleaded with both Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri and President Muhammad Buhari to wipe away the tears of their people by embarking on the construction of the road, pointing out that though Governor Fintiri had during his campaign tour, promised to construct the abandoned road.
Benson Atanga posited that he is aware that Governor Fintiri is a man of his words and that if he is able to construct the road, their people will hold him in confidence throughout their lives.
Also speaking, an elder statesman and former Chairman Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) Mai Jama'a, Elson Awano, asserted that the issue of Dumne road is a sad story because according to him, the road is the gateway to Yungur land.
He revealed that he was on the ground when IBB came to inspect the project and that when the then President came, Wing Commander Jonah Jang (rtd) told IBB that the road was constructed up to Shelleng.
Immediately, he contended that when IBB left, the workers demobilished and since then not an inch has been added to where it was left, describing the situation as unfortunate.
Elson Awano stated that the road goes through the middle of Yungur land, describing Yungur land as food basket not only to Adamawa but the country as a whole.
According to him, anybody who visits the land will testify to his statement, adding that anybody who goes to Dumne on market day will see the number of trucks that carry bags of assorted food items from the area.
The former Chairman told newsmen that despite the population and huge natural resources in the land, they cannot be reached easily because one has to leave the main road to go to Dumne and then to Suktu, Waltadi, Prambe and Dirma among several other communities.
He added that a journey of 15 to 25 minutes now takes a minimum of 1 hour, observing with concern how the road adversely affected the development of the area and however asserted that Yungur land is backward up to today.
Elson Awano appealed to Governor Fintiri to make their people proud by constructing the road, pledging their readiness to continue in supporting the present administration so as to achieve the laudable programmes and policies put in place.
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