President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday blamed the delay in the completion of various road projects across the country on the series of amendments to various budgetary provisions presented to the National Assembly.

Buhari, who spoke through the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Pantami stated this while inaugurating the first phase of the Gombe-Yola Road which terminated in Kaltungo at Kumo in Gombe State.

President Buhari said that on many occasions, because of the power vested in them, the National Assembly often amend the budgetary provisions and that affect the implementation of many road projects.

He pleaded with the citizens living in the Northeast states to engage their representatives in the National Assembly to ensure that there is enough budgetary provision for all these roads in the 2023 budget, saying that if that is provided for, then the road projects will be completed soon.

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He added that the essence of that role is to ensure that any budgetary provision that is for road construction will not be tampered with.

President Buhari said the secret of the road construction depends on the budgetary provision on one hand and the amount of money released on the other hand.

“On the release of money allocated for road construction, we will reach out to the Ministry of Finance to ensure that the money budgeted is released.

“So, budgetary provision is the primary foundation for the completion of all these roads,” he said.

The Minister of Works, Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) who spoke through the Director of Highways Northeast, Celestine Shausu said the road projects represented the government investment in road transport infrastructure which is a commitment of the Buhari administration as a driver for economic growth and prosperity.

He expressed his gratitude to the Federal Ministry of Finance, the members of the National Assembly, especially Chairmen of the Senate and House committees on Works in the 8th and 9th Assemblies for their support.