By Abdullahi Alhassan
Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, has commissioned a major flyover, a 2.5-kilometre dualised road with a five-kilometre drainage network and two mega schools in Maiduguri, as part of efforts to accelerate urban renewal and rebuild critical infrastructure across the state.
The projects were inaugurated on Sunday, with Nasarawa State Governor, Engr. Abdullahi Sule, serving as the special guest of honour and performing the symbolic cutting of the tape.
Among the commissioned projects was the Post Office nine-span Flyover, described as a key component of the Borno State Government’s ongoing efforts to improve traffic flow and modernise Maiduguri’s urban infrastructure.
Also inaugurated was the 2.5-kilometre road linking Budum Tandari Junction through Kasuwan Shanu to the NIETAL Shoe Factory Express Road, alongside a five-kilometre drainage system.
Two major educational facilities — Larawaram Community Senior Secondary School and Shehu Sanda Kyarimi I Primary and Junior Secondary School — were also formally commissioned.
The Post Office Flyover becomes the fourth flyover constructed by the Zulum administration, adding to several kilometres of road networks executed across Maiduguri and other parts of the state.
Speaking during the ceremony, Governor Sule commended Zulum for sustaining infrastructure development despite the security challenges that have confronted Borno over the years.
He described the projects as evidence of purposeful leadership, saying the governor had demonstrated that government must continue to invest in its people even in the face of difficult circumstances.
“A speech was prepared for me; I wish there were no prepared speech. Because what I have seen in Borno today is worth me actually standing here and talking for two hours, commending my dear brother for the wonderful job you are doing in the area of education and infrastructure,” Sule said.
He particularly praised the administration’s investment in education, stressing that rebuilding the state required attention to both physical infrastructure and human capital development.
Responding, Governor Zulum said the projects formed part of his administration’s broader strategy to close Borno’s infrastructure deficit and create an environment conducive to economic activity.
According to him, the road and drainage projects were not undertaken merely for aesthetic purposes, but to improve transportation, facilitate the movement of goods and support commercial activities within the metropolis.
Zulum also used the occasion to highlight the administration’s investment in education, revealing that more than 120 mega schools had been constructed across the state.
He said the projects must be viewed against the devastating impact of the insurgency on Borno’s education sector.
“The insurgency destroyed more than 5,000 school structures, while at its peak, an estimated 2.2 million children were out of school, with fewer than 500,000 enrolled,” he said.
The governor added that many teachers and school administrators also lost their lives while performing their duties during the height of the crisis.
Beyond conventional education, Zulum said his administration had expanded its focus on Technical and Vocational Education and Training to equip residents with practical skills and improve employment opportunities.
He disclosed that the government had established five Vocational Enterprise Institutes, reactivated 11 Vocational Training Centres and established three Second Chance Skills Entrepreneurship Schools targeted at women and girls.
Zulum said the rebuilding of Borno remained an ongoing process, assuring that his administration would continue to prioritise education, infrastructure and human capital development.
“The journey of rebuilding Borno continues, and our commitment remains unwavering: to ensure that every child has access to quality education and the opportunity to build a productive and dignified future,” he said.
