The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, has commended Gov Muhammad Badaru of Jigawa for commitment in completing several road projects he inherited from past administration in the state.
Fashola gave the commendation after inspecting the ongoing rehabilitation of the 70 kilometer Hadejai-Kirikasamma-Nguru road in Jigawa.
The first phase, which covered 34 kilometres had been completed, while work on phase II, covering 33 kilometres, from Kirikassama in Jigawa to Nguru in Yobe, is ongoing.
Fashola recalled that the project, which was awarded in 2010 at N7.5 billion, was stalled due to poor funding, until the coming of the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.
“The rehabilitation work was awarded since 2010 at the cost of N7.5 billion but is yet to be completed due to poor funding.
“But this administration said the project must continue and released enough fund for its continuation, so as you can see, it is about to be completed soon,” he said.
The minister added about 300 road rehabilitations are going across the country.
According to him, the present administration is committed to all abandoned and uncompleted road projects across the country.
“Governor Badaru is doing what the Federal Government is doing, which is completing all the uncompleted or abandoned road projects.
“This is what is called change in the attitude of leaders and followers. Badaru did not consider political affiliation in completing the road project, just like President Buhari did.
“Because the money expended in constructing or rehabilitating these roads do not belong to any political party or individual leaders, but belongs to the people of Jigawa and Nigerians.
“So, if as a governor or president, you refuse to complete projects you inherited from your predecessors, due to your differences in politics, then you are not doing any good to the people, rather you are wasting the resources that belong to the people of your state and the country at large.
“So I must commend Badaru for foresight in completing such road projects he inherited,” said the minister.
Fashola pointed out that construction and rehabilitation of roads was of priority to the Federal Government as it enhances economic activities and facilitates easy movement of farm produce and other goods across the country.
“Jigawa and Yobe are agrarian states, so with good road networks, people, particularly farmers, will find it easy to transport their produce to the market with ease.
“It will also enhance other economic activities between the two states and others around them.
“The rehabilitation of the road will also reduce drastically the travel time and cost of vehicle maintenance,” Fashola said.
Earlier, the governor said he inherited about 763 kilometers uncompleted road projects in the state.
“But as I am talking to you right now, ninety per cent of such projects have been completed.
“We have also awarded the contract for the construction of additional 350 kilometers road projects in 2016/2017 and about 150 kilometers in 2018 in Jigawa.
“The completion of the road projects is in line with the Federal Government’s directives of “no waste”, so we copied from the government at the center.
“Before the end of this tenure in 2019, we will make sure that all the newly awarded and the inherited ones, covering about 1,300 kilometers are completed,” Badaru said.
