Boosting Trade in Katsina through Road Projects

The Katsina State Governor, Aminu Bello Masari, has embarked on various road projects not just to better the lives of the citizens but to boost the economic activities of the agrarian state- both farm produce and livestock for which the state is widely known, writes Francis Sardauna.

It is a well-known fact that the challenges of good road network and functional infrastructure has remained one of the biggest predicaments besetting Nigerians both at the cities and in the villages, with villages and other rural areas being the worst hit.

Available statistics paint what could mildly be described as a gloomy picture of the situation as far as road construction, especially in rural and semi-urban areas, is concerned.

Pundits argued that having a good road network linking major towns and villages, along with other critical infrastructures like light, water and sound healthcare delivery systems in towns and villages, will undoubtedly reduce to the barest minimum, the rising incidence of rural-urban migration.

Katsina State, like most other states of the federation, especially those of the North western region of Nigeria, is mostly agrarian with large livestock that needs good markets, roads, electricity and potable water for meaningful development to thrive.

As should be expected, having an effective and well-connected network of roads that links the various communities was seen as the needed impetus to boost trade in farm produce and even the livestock for which the state is widely known.

Perhaps, the realisation of this, and consciousness of the fact that effective land transportation, in which good roads are a driving factor, contributes in no small measure to boosting the economy was what informed the Katsina State government’s investment in the road infrastructures.

The government is not only focusing on new infrastructure but also on the rehabilitation of existing assets and the completion of longstanding projects that have failed to gain traction under previous governments. It can hardly be disputed and bears repeating that Katsina’s infrastructure deficit has been one of the biggest factors holding back growth and development.

But the pragmatic government of Rt. Hon. Aminu Bello Masari, under its philosophy of people-oriented policies and programmes, has constructed numerous road networks to ease the movement of people and goods in all nooks and crannies of Katsina State.

A closer look at such roads infrastructure shows that the incumbent administration has expended the whooping sum of N7.106 billion on the completion of 13 road projects it inherited from the previous Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led administration of Ibrahim Shehu Shema.

The inherited projects, which cut across the three senatorial zones of the state, are Dandume-Kadisau-Daudawa road, Marabar Sayaya-Sayaya-Mazoji road, Eka-Kadandani-Kuraye-Yargamji road and Dankaba-Abdallawa-Jifatu road.

Other roads which were abandoned but received facelift by the Masari-led government include, Tsanni-Tsauri road, Batagarawa-Tashar Bala-Lambar Rim-Tsegoro road, Unguwar Lalle-Unguwar Waziri road, Funtua BCGA Dry Port dual carriageway, Funtua township roads, Nagogo-Yahaya Madaki road and Sandamu-Baure-Babban Mutum road.

The compassionate administration of Governor Masari has also awarded and completed new road projects to ease the transportation difficulties hitherto been experienced in the state. The new road projects are; Gora-Makauraci-Mallamawa-Gamzago road, 40 kilometers; Marabar-Sayaya-Sayaya-Mazoji-Tashar Icce road, 24 kilometers; Dayi-Tuga-Gangule-Gundawa-Wawar-Kasa road, 28 kilometers.

Other new road projects include, Fago-Katsayal-Jirdede-Kwasarawa-Koza road, 38 kilometers; Kwanar-Sabke-Dan’auni-Ruwan Kaya-Dutsi road, 22 kilometers; Randa-Dogoro-Gallu-Sonkaya-Kwanargwanti road, 30 kilometers; Dutsinma-Tsaskiya-Babbanduhu-Kukarsamu road, 50 kilometers; Yandaki-Gafia-Abdallawa-Dankaba road, 31 kilometers; Tudunbala-Kandarawa road, 3.5 kilometers and Gurjiya-Karkarku road, 11.2 kilometers.

Likewise, the administration of Governor Aminu Bello Masari has undertaken road infrastructural development in other parts of the state which include the asphalting of Sandamu-Rogogo-Baure-Babban Mutum road, 75 kilometers. The government also surface dressing the Kankara-Zango-Dansabau road, 24 kilometers; Marabar Musawa-Gingin-Tabanni road, 19 kilometers; Kafur-Gaurai-Bugawa-Sabon Layi-Kagara-Mahuta road, 28 kilometers; Kankia-Dangamau-Kusada road, 16.6 kilometers and Rimaye-Sukuntuni-Karaduwa road, 20.8 kilometers.

The rehabilitation of Tudun Iya-Maska-Dandume road (37 kilometers), Dandume-Sabuwa road (40 kilometers), Batsari-Jibia road (40 kilometers), Dannakola-Rijiyar Tsamiya-Fago road (27 kilometers), Katsina-Kaita-Dankama road, Dankama-Duma-Brumbrum road as well as Zango-Rogogo road, is ongoing and the roads are at advanced stages of completion.

To facilitate economic growth, commerce and trading activities in Katsina, the state capital, the Masari administration aside the township roads and drainages constructed to avert flooding in the ancient city, has commenced the construction of N5.8 billion interchange (underpass) projects at Kofar Kaura and Kofar Kwaya.

The two first-of-its kind projects which are awarded to Traicta Construction Company, are expected to be completed within 12 months. The Kofar Kaura underpass is awarded at the cost of N2,906,277,281.25 while that of Kofar Kwaya is at the cost of N2,808,076,031.25.

Speaking during the groundbreaking of the projects, Governor Masari, said 70 per cent of the N5.8 billion has been paid to the contractor handling the project. He said: “The contractor of these two particular projects would have no excuse because already we had paid in advance 70 per cent of the total cost”.

He added that, “And we had made adequate provision that if the contractor can perform magic and finish these projects in one day, he will have his remaining money ready for him.

“My appeal to the contractor and the consultant is about quality of work, especially draining water from the roads because this is very important for the roads to last longer and be beneficial to the people of Katsina state”.

He expressed his administration’s determination and commitment to provide all the needed and indeed, conducive environment for business to thrive in all nook and cranny of the state.

According to him, “Since a good road network is one of such conditions necessary to boost economic activities, the government will not rest on its oars to provide roads linking all our towns and villages” Governor Masari has said.

The governor explained that the state government had spent over N5 billion for the provision of drainage to tackle erosion within the Katsina metropolitan area.

Also speaking at the event, the State Commissioner for Works, Housing and Transports, Tasi’u Musa Dandagoro, explained that the two interchange projects would gulf N5.8 billion.

He said: “When we came in 2015, we met quite a number of uncompleted projects inherited from the previous administration of Ibrahim Shehu Shema, in the road sector alone, the administration inherited 13 number road projects where we spent a total of N7.106 billion for the completion of the inherited projects in the state”.

On his part, the Project Engineer of TRIACTA Nigeria. Mr. Sadeq, assured the governor and people of the state that his company will execute quality jobs on the first Katsina city interchanges and complete the projects on or even before the timeframe of 12 months.

Meanwhile, the Katsina State road projects which are part of the overall rural and urban development efforts of the Masari’s government have continued to play a significant role in opening the state and boosting economic sustainability and intra state transportation as residents now have an array of choices to make as far as roads are concerned.

A famous American actress, Lily Tomlin once said “The road to success is always under construction”. Indeed, Tomlin’s supposition aptly captures the finished and in some cases, ongoing road construction efforts by the Katsina state government.

Findings by THISDAY revealed that scores of communities, most of which were hitherto impassable with vehicles, now have good road networks linking them with their neighbours and by implication, the outside world. Increasingly, more rural roads are being constructed through the rural development efforts just as urban roads are being upgraded.

Therefore, the development by the Masari administration has highly impacted positively on villages and communities across the three senatorial zones of Katsina, Daura and Funtua in the state.