Kaduna-Birnin Gwari, other roads: Reminder on the rehabilitation work
On 9th January, 2019, Governor Nasir El-Rufai at a Townhall Meeting in Birnin Gwari informed the people that the federal government has awarded contract for the rehabilitation of Kaduna to Birnin Gwari road and Birnin Gwari to Funtua road to the Dangote Group of Companies. He even emboldened his goodwill message that already about N5 billion has been provided for immediate mobilisation of the contractors to site.
The federal government corroborated this through a post made on Facebook by a Presidential Aide, Bashir Ahmad.
The people of Birnin Gwari were elated by that news, as they prayed that could be a measure of restoring peace and tranquility in the area ravaged by banditry.
Months after that, people waited patiently for the mobilisation and commencement of the rehabilitation work, that was never seen. Thus, a series of reminders and inquiries were put forward to relevant authorities.
On 5th November, 2019, Governor Nasir El-Rufai posted a very important update on Facebook affirming that in response to many inquiries by the citizens of Kaduna State about the situation of the rehabilitation works in the state, the work would commence as soon as the 2019 rainfall season ended. The rainfall season ended in October 2019 but the rehabilitation work did not commence as promised.
Coronavirus pandemic dominated government’s attention in 2020. Hence, no mention of the rehabilitation work was made throughout the year.
In respect of Birnin Gwari-FuntuaDansadau road, Governor Nasir El-Rufai was reported to have written that the road is “also being reconstructed into a reinforced concrete highway under the #FIRS Tax Credit Scheme by the Dangote Group. Reconstruction will start as soon as the rains stop.” The work is yet to start even as the 2021 rainy season has reached its peak.
Similarly, governor Nasir El-Rufai speaking on the Old Kaduna-Lagos Road to Birnin Gwari LG Boundary (about 100km), said that the road is “also being reconstructed into a reinforced concrete highway under the FIRS Tax Credit Scheme by the Dangote Group. Reconstruction will start as soon as the rains stop.” The rehabilitation work is still pending. No workers have been mobilised to the site.
As a concerned citizen of the state, I write to remind the federal government and draw its attention that as it awards a new contract to the Dangote Group worth N309 billion for the construction of roads in Borno State and others, the reconstruction awarded Dangote group for Kaduna to Birnin Gwari and Birnin Gwari to Funtua roads since 2019 is yet to commence.
Thus, we hereby plead with the government to kindly remind Dangote group to immediately start the work, and if there is any explanation on the situation of the reconstruction work it will offer the public, especially the good people of Birnin Gwari, it should do so accordingly.
We equally plead with the Dangote Group to kindly mobilise workers to the site so that the work can commence immediately.
Isah Muhammad lives in Birnin Gwari