Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang has said the state government is earmarking N2 billion in counterpart funding to improve rural infrastructure across the state by building over 331 kilometres of rural roads.
The initiative, which is part of the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), is aimed at improving connectivity for isolated communities, enhance farmers’ access to markets, and boost agricultural productivity in local government areas.
Speaking at the official flag-off of civil works at the newly designated Agrologistics Centres in Shendam, Barkin Ladi, Mangu, and Bassa, Governor Mutfwang highlighted the project’s strategic importance.
“Though the RAAMP project was conceived in 2021, real progress only began under my administration’s watch in 2023. The N2 billion counterpart fund was not surplus; it was carefully sourced to catalyze development for our people,” he stated.
Governor Mutfwang revealed that Plateau State was recently ranked first nationwide in RAAMP implementation, crediting the achievement to transparency, dedication, and collaborative stakeholder engagement.
Beyond the road network, the Governor outlined broader plans, including developing agro-logistics hubs, modern markets with storage facilities, and partnering with the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) to train 10,000 youths in agribusiness over the next five years.
“These markets will serve as data-driven hubs for aggregation and future agro-processing. Agriculture is the economy of tomorrow, and Plateau is positioning itself to lead that future,” Governor Mutfwang added.
He also referenced the legislative framework supporting these efforts, including the recently passed State Revolving Fund for Road Projects and the RAAMP Authority Establishment Law. He called on the local government Chairmen, traditional rulers, and community leaders to ensure strict quality standards and accountability in project execution.
With just over a year left in the RAAMP cycle, Governor Mutfwang reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to ensuring every kilometre constructed leaves a lasting impact on rural communities and contributes to Plateau’s economic transformation.
The Governor also presented symbolic “dud cheques” to contractors Mesotho Group Limited, Volkmal Limited, and Sunlink Nigeria Limited, charging them with mobilising to sites and delivering high-quality work by 2026.
National RAAMP representative, Salisu Abubakar, revealed that there will be an additional $575 million for the next phase of the project and emphasized that the Agrologistics Centres would reduce post-harvest losses, strengthen market linkages, and attract private sector investment.
