Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has recently kicked off the construction of the long awaited 11-kilometre dual road project, starting from Government Secondary School Ningi-Gudduba in Ningi town, which is expected to gulp the sum of N10.3 billion.
Senator Bala Mohammed, at the flag off occasion held in Ningi, headquarter of Ningi LGA , said his Government has high regards for road construction which is key to economic development in the state.
According to him, the contract will be done through direct contract award to Mothercat Nigeria Limited and will be jointly supervised by a team of engineers from the State Ministry of Works and Transport and Federal Ministry of Works.
He said that his administration has already received the approval of the federal government for the construction of the road. Mohammed added that his government wanted the federal government to do it, but his government was too anxious and therefore decided to do the job in the interest of the good people of Ningi as dividends of democracy as earlier promised.
Governor Mohammed noted that roads are a very important component of economic activities not only in the developed world, but also in developing countries, stressing that they facilitate access to employment, education and opportunities for all other productive activities.
The Governor said that Ningi Emirate and the central zone have been deprived by previous administrations, of good road networks. And pointed out that his administration is righting the wrongs and correcting the anomalies in terms of creating engagements, inclusivity and respect for the yearnings and aspirations of every sector of the state.
“As the Chairman of the local government has said that there is so much neglect of the Ningi Emirate and it is not that easy for one administration to address them, but I will definitely try my best as the Turaki Ningi,” he promised.
“We therefore hit the ground running on the day one of our first tenure by awarding road projects to a number of reputable road contractors. This particular one that we are doing in Ningi, is in recognition of what the people of Ningi have done to us as PDP, from myself the governor, you voted for me, voted for all those who contested under the PDP. All the elected offices in Ningi Emirate were given to the PDP. The Only way to say thank you is the dualisation of Ningi town roads, ” the governor said.
“The project, like other numerous projects embarked upon by this administration, was conceived as a fulfilment of our campaign promises, to provide essential infrastructure in order to ameliorate the transportation difficulties by our people who face serious challenges in transporting their agricultural produce to the markets.
“It is expected that in the course of the construction, the project will create direct jobs to engineers, labourers, artisans and indirectly to food vendors, suppliers, transporters and many others in the construction value chain,” the governor said.
In their separate remarks, the Commissioner, Ministry of Works and Transport, Hon Ibrahim Gambo Galadima and the Representative of the contracting firm, Mothercat Nigeria Limited, highlighted some components of the project to include 7.3 meters carriage way and 2 meters wide shoulder.
Speaking on behalf of the benefiting communities, the Emir of Ningi, Alhaji Yunusa Muhammadu Danyaya and the Local Government Caretaker Committee Chairmen, Ibrahim Zubairu, commended the Governor for considering the long awaited project in his rural and urban development initiative.
