Kano  Awards N2.5bn Contracts for Grazing Reserve Devt

Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano

Kano State Agro-Pastoral Development Project (KSADP) has awarded contracts in the sum of N2, 509, 343, 144.10 for the provision of capital projects at Dansoshiya Grazing Reserve in Kiru Local Government Area of the state.

 The infrastructure, which the government said would transform the area into a model grazing reserve, include establishment of 2, 000 hectares of communal grazing and 1, 000 hectares homestead grazing land; construction of earth dam; construction of 25 kilometres perimeter fence, as well as the construction of 20 km access earth road and provision of fire breakers.

Others are the construction of a mosque, a block of three classrooms, a store, a mini market, cattle pen, loading ramp, veterinary clinic and equipment, as well as five solar powered boreholes.

It is estimated that on completion of the contracts, which were awarded to indigenous companies, not less than 20, 000 pastoralist families will settle conveniently in the grazing reserve.

Meanwhile, the Islamic Development Bank, which is financing the project, has awarded a contract for design and supervision consultancy services for the construction of 70 km access feeder roads in the three senatorial zones of the state at the cost of N98, 011, 749.

Speaking shortly after the contract awards, which is superintended by the Kano State Ministry of Justice, the state Project Coordinator, Malam Ibrahim Garba Muhammad, described the event as a major milestone towards achieving the state pastoral development strategy.

According to him, “The development of the grazing reserve will not only improve lives and livelihoods of the pastoralists but will also provide an enabling condition to mitigate farmers-herdsmen conflict in the state.”

On his part, the Managing Director of the Kano State Agricultural and Rural Development Authority, Dr. Junaidu Yakubu Muhammad, warned the contractors to abide by the contractual guidelines and specifications in order to deliver quality services, adding that any defaulting company will be sanctioned according to the law