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Eight Months Later: What Happened to Taraba’s Six Major Road Projects?


By Ibrahim Bambur 

Eight months after the Taraba State Government announced six major road projects across the state, questions are mounting over the level of progress made on the projects.

On January 7, 2026, Special Adviser on Media and Digital Communication to the Executive Governor of Taraba State, Hon. Emmanuel Bello, announced that Tarabans should “watch out” for six major road constructions planned for the state. The projects included the Kente–Chinkai Highway and Wukari inner-city roads, Jalingo township roads, Jalingo–Zing border road, Karim–Lau roads, Marraba–Baissa–Abong road, and the Takum–Yamusa road.

Bello had expressed confidence in the projects, stating that “the Chinese and Tarcma are ready” and that Governor Agbu Kefas “means business.” However, an assessment attributed to Ibrahim Bambur indicates that visible progress on several of the announced projects remains limited.

Jalingo Township Roads

Some roadwork has reportedly commenced in parts of Jalingo, including patching and drainage construction. However, concerns have been raised over the quality and scope of the work, with residents questioning whether the ongoing activities represent the full township road project announced by the government.

Kente–Chinkai–Wukari Corridor

The Kente–Chinkai Highway and Wukari inner-city roads were among the major projects highlighted in the announcement. However, commuters and stakeholders along the corridor reportedly say there has been no significant visible mobilisation as of August 2026.

Jalingo–Zing Border Road

The Jalingo–Zing border road is considered an important route for movement and trade. Available updates cited in the assessment suggest that the project remains at the planning or tendering stage, raising concerns among residents who expected construction activity to have commenced.

Karim–Lau, Marraba–Baissa–Abong and Takum–Yamusa Roads

The three rural road projects are particularly important to farming communities, where poor road networks can significantly affect the movement of agricultural produce and access to markets, schools and other essential services.

However, concerns are reportedly growing in the affected areas over the delay in contractor mobilisation and the absence of visible construction activity.

Calls for Transparency

The assessment does not oppose the government's decision to announce infrastructure projects but argues that public confidence depends on matching announcements with measurable delivery.

It therefore calls on the Governor Agbu Kefas administration to publish an updated status report on each of the six projects, including the names of contractors, sources of funding, current stages of construction and percentage of completion.

It also urges Hon. Emmanuel Bello and the government's communication team to provide regular updates to the public, preferably on a quarterly basis, rather than limiting communication to initial project announcements.

For residents of Karim, Lau, Takum, Zing, Wukari and other affected communities, the expectation is straightforward: visible progress on the ground.

Road infrastructure is critical to agriculture, education, commerce and mobility. As the assessment puts it, Taraba needs roads that serve its people, rather than announcements that remain on paper.

The people are watching, and many remain hopeful that the six projects will ultimately translate into completed and functional roads across the state.

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