…. Creates 800 new jobs The excitement is already hitting the zenith even though work on the new Kano-Jigawa Road being executed...
…. Creates 800 new jobs
The excitement is already hitting the zenith even though work on the new Kano-Jigawa Road being executed by the Federal Government is about to be completed.
Already, work on the 82-kilometre highway project awarded on November 16, 2022, at the cost of N94 billion and a construction period of 24 months, has reached 75 percent level of completion.
The project, which started on February 1, 2023, stretches from Yankaba Roundabout in Kano) to Tsalle in Jigawa State. Twenty-four kilometres of the road being handled by Chinese firm, China Civil Engineering and Construction Company, CCECC, have six lanes while 58 kilometres have single carriageway.
But as the work is progressing steadily towards inauguration, farmers, community leaders and commuters around Gezawa, Gabasawa and environs on the Yankaba (Kano) to Tsalle (Jigawa), have already begun their celebration ahead of the handing over of the crucial road by CCECC to the Federal Government.
From the way the new road is reshaping and revolutionizing the landscape of the hitherto unknown and unreached community, the people now have a worthy cause to smile and roll out their drums for merriment.
The major cause for festivity is that the new road has opened up the rich agrarian community and increased their proximity to the centres of development and business -Kano and Jigawa states, something that was beyond their imagination for decades. Many industries are available on the important road corridor.
Arewa Voice correspondent, who travelled on the road and spoke to farmers, motorists and the firm handling the job, said that new economic ventures are already springing up even before the road is handed over, while enthusiasm is very high among the people.
…It eases transportation of our farm produce — Farmer
A farmer, Attahu Alhassan, told AV that the new road would reduce the challenges they used to encounter in transporting their farm produce to the town and prolong the lifespan of their vehicles.
“In this axis, we in Gezawa, Gabasawa and Minjibir, are known for farming. We farm and harvest but our challenge lies mostly with transporting our farm produce to the market due to the bad roads. But today, that story has changed with this laudable project.
“The axis has the highest concentration of industries and new ones continue to spring up. I don’t think there is any area in Kano that has industries like the area. The road also links you to the border area that will take you to Niger Republic,” Alhassan said.
… Motorists deserted the road before the repairs
A motorist, Saminu Abu, who has been in the commercial driving business for over 15 years, said in the past they recorded frequent breakdown of vehicles and accidents on daily basis due to the poor condition of the road, forcing many motorists to abandon their route and seek alternative.
Abu said: “In the past, we recorded accidents on the road almost on daily basis. But with the repairs of the road, accident has reduced drastically. I will only caution our drivers to drive with care.
“Similarly, vehicle drivers who deserted the road due to the deplorable condition have returned and are now plying the road. You see vehicles not from this state plying the road. They deserted the road in the past due to its bad condition. Now, you will hear the drivers telling themselves about how good the road has become. Our suffering in plying bad road before now has become a thing of the past. But you drive smoothly without observing any pot holes now. In the past, you spend over one hour from Gezawa before you get to Bata; but now in 40 minutes you will reach your destination. No cause for alarm as the road is now a smooth drive. I will only caution our drivers to drive with care,” Abu said.
…We appeal for installation of solar-powered street light for safety, security —District Head
Speaking on the development, the District Head of Gezawa and Ward head of Mundubawa, Alhaji Mahmud Yusuf, said the construction of the road has opened up the area which has a link to neighbouring states.
Yusuf represented by Kabiru Tanko, however, appealed for the installation of street light on the road for safety and security.
Yusuf said: “We are happy with the road construction project because this road links many villages, communities and states. The value of our land has improved significantly unlike before. We now witness development in our land. The road construction has also reduced the number of accidents we recorded before. Our appeal now is for the government to install solar-powered street lights on the road as that will address power outage and will help boost security in the area”.
A brief on the existing federal road shows it has a composition of both single and dual carriageways of two and four lanes respectively before it was awarded for rehabilitation and dualisation.
The vital road project begins at Yankaba roundabout located in Kano city, traverses Gunduwawa, Jogana, Gezawa, Guruma, Kagadama, Kawo, Gabasawa, Unguwan Ari, Limawa and terminates at a Tsalle village (Jigawa State), linking both Kano and Jigawa states.
The CCECC Project Manager, Mr. Yinan Dong, told AV that contract for the road project was awarded in November 16, 2022 and work started February 1, 2023, with 24 months’ completion period and that it has reached 75 percent level of completion.
“The construction route of the project is long, the construction period is tight, and the implementation quality standards required by the owner are high. There is also significant interference from driving on urban road sections. The project started on February 1, 2023, and has provided over 800 job opportunities for the local society from the initial stage to the present.
The Chief Resident Engineer, Federal Ministry of Work, Abba Mukhtar Bello, who is saddled with the inspection of the construction, expressed optimism that with the speed and rate at which the work is being executed, the project will be completed before the construction period.
“The project duration is two years and we have six months remaining. With the way the work is going, that means we can finish before the duration period elapses.
“We have done 75 per cent of the work. But the time is 66 per cent and that means the work is moving faster than the time. That is if you continue at this rate, by the time you get to 100 per cent of the work, we would have finished the work at 90 per cent of completion time,” Bello said.
© Vanguard News
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