EXCLUSIVE: INSIDE THE STORY OF A FEDERAL ROAD CONTRACT, AWARDED TWICE ON A DIFFERENT AMOUNT SAME YEAR

The Travelers plying Kano – Madobi- Yako- Kiru- Kwanar Dangora road have express their concern over the general condition of the road and the slow and snail speed of the re-construction of the road project.

The road connect at least 5 local government areas with the state capital and also serves as the gateway to other neighboring states as the road links with the Kano – Kaduna highway.

It could be recalled that, the general reconstruction of the road was approved two times by the federal government.

Firstly, it was approved in January, 2019, and then was approved again in November of the same year.

But year’s after the road was approved for reconstruction, it still remains a death trap to passengers plying the road.

According to the then Minister of Works and Housing, and Power, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, on 9th January 2019, the federal executive council awarded the sum of N2.6 billion for reconstruction of Sharada-Madobi road.

The minister disclosed this while addressing journalists after the weekly executive council meeting.

Also on November 27th, 2019, again, the federal executive council approved the sum of N4.510billion for the same Sharada to Madobi road.

This was also announced by the same minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola.

His words “The memorandum we presented was for the award of road from Sharada to Madobi and Danbaure in Kano State”.

The road with a total length of about 100 kilometres long start from Madobi/Panshekara underpass bridge road and links Madobi, Bebeji, Kiru, Karaye and Rogo local government areas to the state capital.

A section of the road, which is less than 3 Kilometres long, was reconstructed last year from Danbaure village in Madobi local government and terminated at the government secondary school Madobi in Madobi town.

Some people, also blamed the contractor of Kano-Kaduna railway project, China Civil Engineering and Construction Company, CCECC, for destroying the remaining manageable road with their heavy duty vehicles.

The company (CCECC) usually carry heavy stone’s from their quarry plant near Kiru town to their various construction sites within the zone.

Some heavy duty vehicles of China Civil Engineering and Construction Company, CCECC, during peak construction period near Kiru Town.

A section of the road, which is less than 3 Kilometres long was reconstructed last year by the Federal government from Danbaure village in Madobi local government and terminte at the government secondary school Madobi in Madobi town.

Passengers plying the road argued that, even the rehabilitated sections starting from Danbaure Village to Government Secondary School Madobi and from Kwanar Kwankwaso to School of Nursing gate, were the best motorable sections of the road, which were demolished by the contractor.

They expressed that, it would have been better if the contractor repair the road sections that has clearly spoiled.

“From Madobi town to Danbaure to Yako to Kogo in Kiru local government area and From Government Secondary School Madobi to Pyramid radio junction and up to Madobi police should have been given priority because the section has clearly damaged” said Ali Isah, a student at Sa’adatu Rimi University of Education Kano.

Abdulmumin Jibrin Kofa, Member representing Kiru/Bebeji federal constituency, sought for the general reconstruction of the road during the 9th Assembly.

According to the earlier plan, the project start from Kano passing through Madobi, Yako and terminating at Kwanar Dangora.

The project was planned to be executed under his constituency project but was allegedly suspended while the funds meant for the project was diverted by a former senator representing the zone.

The senator, representing Kano South Senatorial Zone, Hon. Abdulrahman Kawu Sumaila, has previously alleged that, funds for the general reconstruction of the road and other projects like the Rogo – Karaye – Kiru and Yako roads, which connects with Kano – Madobi – Yako – Kwanar Dangora road, were diverted by the same former senator who represented the zone at 9th assembly.

To date, over N7.2 Billion was spent on the project, while only about 5 Kilometres was constructed out of over 90 Kilometres long road.

An enquiry sent to the Federal Ministry of Works, Housing and Power requesting information about the road project, was not responded as of the time of filing this report.

Report and Investigation by YAHYA USMAN

This report was first aired on Radio Kano.

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