Gombe at 29: Who can Fix Gombe-Dukku Road? -By Muhammad Auwal Ibrahim

As an investigative journalist chosen as a Macarthur Foundation-CITAD funded grantee, I have documented the sheer government negligence of Gombe-Dukku-Darazo road. This has not only compounded the difficulties for commuters but has contributed to the surge in highway robbery as a result of its poor state despite fund releases.

I have frequently traveled this route between 2018 to date. I have witnessed its consistent deterioration. The situation worsened in 2020 when a contractor, after a preliminary grading of the surface, abandoned the site during COVID-19 pandemic. What was assumed to be a temporary break, became a clear case of project abandonment, even after funds were released.

During the course of my investigation, I utilized the GovSpend platform to trace the funds allocated to the contracting firm, revealing how multi-million naira payments were released. This occurred primarily in 2022.

The affected communities, through bodies like the Dukku Community Development Association (DCDA), formally raised their concerns, yet no tangible action was taken. This is a crucial political zone, represented by a sitting senator, a House of Representatives member, and a state assembly member.

The appointment of the immediate past senator from this constituency as a Minister of Transportation by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2023 generated significant hope among the people of Gombe. It was widely anticipated that the road’s reconstruction would be swiftly completed. However, two years into this administration, those hopes remain shattered. Nothing fundamental has changed.

Critics within the state argue that if a Minister in charge of transportation, originating from the affected community, cannot facilitate this reconstruction, then who else possess the political will, authority or influence to push for the reconstruction of Gombe-Dukku road?

Even the Gombe State Governor’s persistent appeals to the Ministers of Works to intervene, alongside similar pleas made via formal correspondence from former Minister Isa Pantami, failed to secure a complete repair of the road. Only marginal portions were reportedly patched by the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA).

The question echoing across social media space remains sharp and unresolved: Who will ultimately fix Gombe-Dukku road and restore accountability to the commuters?

Muhammad Auwal Ibrahim is a multiple award-winning investigative journalist and a 2025 Adejumobi Adegbite Fellow. He can be reached via awwalbinibrahim@gmail.com