From Femi Mustapha, in Kaduna
Residents of Zaria and Sabon Gari Local Government Areas in Kaduna State have expressed delight as contractors resumed works on roads abandoned in the Zone by previous administrations.
A resident of U/Hauwa in Sabon Gari LGA, Mallam Danjuma Isa, expressed joy over the state government’s approval to resume construction work in the community’s link roads.
According to him, the construction will alleviate the daily hardship they experience plying the road, especially during the rainy season.
The residents spoke to Citizenship when political appointees from the Zone were led on an inspection visit to the sites by the Managing Director of Kaduna State Roads Agency (KADRA), Dr. Abdullahi Baba Ahmed, who expressed their optimism that the road if constructed, would also foster economic development in the area.
A motorist who identified himself simply as Abubakar Mansur appreciated the state Governor, Senator Uba Sani for approving the resumption of the road construction.
He urged the government not to delay the construction as such had been the usual rhetoric concerning the road by the previous administration
“This is a dream come true for us. The road has been in such a bad state for years. We are grateful for the government’s commitment to improving our lives. We hope that the construction will not linger too long to alleviate us of the daily hardship encountered on this road.”
Speaking to the media, the Managing Director of Kaduna State Roads Agency (KADRA), Dr Abdullahi Baba Ahmed, said there are two projects inherited from the private administration in Sabon Gari and Zaria LGAs.
“I’m delighted to welcome you to this important and historic inspection visit for the continuation of two major projects in Sabon Gari and Zaria LGAs”, he said.
According to him, it is sad that only 20 percent of the fees were paid to the contractors, which made them abandon the projects so far to date.
” I am very happy to announce that the Administration of Governor Uba Sani is committed to completing the project and paying the remaining 80 percent of outstanding fees.
“The Contractor was given four weeks after payment of compensation to complete this particular road while the Dogo Bauchi was given only 12 calendar weeks from the day we paid the compensation.
“These are roads that are not only important to the people of Sabon Gari but to the neighboring areas and State because you can connect to Jos from here.
“I am also happy that the Contractor is committed and the Governor has approved the immediate disbursement of all outstanding fees of these projects, so funding is not an issue.
“From here, we are moving to other parts of the State for inspection. We visited Kafanchan in Zone 3, which is Zone 1, and next, we will move to Zone 2 for all the inherited and new projects.
“The Governor has given us his support and directed us to make sure that the three Senatorial Zones in Kaduna State become construction sites.”
Similarly, a member representing the Sabon Gari constituency, Rasheed Idris, said when the administration came on board in May 2023, this road was somehow abandoned due to some incidences with construction materials or the site.
He explained that two houses couldn’t be demolished, but they collaborated with the SA Labour, Council Chairman, and others to persuade the owners to allow the contractors to finish the job, and they agreed.
“When we came for oversight, this place was one of the places we visited, and the Contractor did a very commendable work.
“Thankfully, the Project is ongoing, and we hope that in the next month, it will be completed.
“This road is very strategic as it will help decongest Sokoto road and this area is an old settlement with more than 20,000 people around.
“So by doing this road, their movement is eased, so we are grateful to the Governor for agreeing to our request because we initiated this project in 2011, and it’s my honor that it will be completed in My Tenure.
“The other road is also strategic because it links two LGAs, Sabon Gari and Zaria. So the road is very important to us.
“We are grateful to the Governor for listening to us and fulfilling his promise to us.”
In his remarks, the Commissioner in the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Aminu Abdullahi Shagali said the project is very dear to him because when he was a Member of the Kaduna State House of Assembly in 2011, he initiated it through the first budget of Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa and when he became a Speaker in 2015, he put it in the budget but due to some challenges, it did not see the light of the day.
“But thank God, with the coming of this Administration, we are hoping that within the next one, two, or three months, this project is going to be completed.
“We are grateful to the Governor for this project for our people because he is keeping to the promises he made to our people.
“We have started taking steps to see that all the road projects will be included in the budget so that our people will benefit from it.
“When you go to Soba, Kubau, Ikara, and others, there are other ongoing projects, and we are grateful to the Governor for making sure that some of the inherited projects are completed,” he said.
