From :Femi Oyelola in Kaduna
Kaduna State Governor Senator Uba Sani has made the completion of abandoned road projects a central focus of his administration’s agenda.
Dr. Abdullahi Baba Ahmad, Managing Director of the Kaduna State Roads Agency (KADRA), who led a team of officials on a high-visibility tour of several stalled road projects across the state asserted this.
Dr. Ahmad highlighted the Governor’s renewed commitment to unlocking the economic potential of the state.
He explained that many of the projects—including the Nasarawa Flour Mills road, the Rabah Road to the Rigasa Train Station dual carriageway, and the Aliyu Makama-Kabala Costain dual carriage road—had been halted since 2022 due to unpaid contractor certificates, unresolved compensation claims, and the costly relocation of water, electricity, and other utilities.
The Governor’s intervention has successfully cleared substantial arrears and approved compensation for over 120 households, paving the way for work to resume.
At the Nasarawa Flour Mills corridor, a crucial industrial route, the project had stalled at approximately 25% completion, with only drainage works visible. Today, the contractor has laid the binder course, pushing overall progress to about 65%.
“The Governor has directed that this road be finished before the next rainy season,” Dr. Ahmad affirmed.
The inspection then moved to the Rabah Road, which runs from Arewa House through Mahuta to the Rigasa Train Station. This dual carriageway was inherited at about 30% completion and had been blocked by funding gaps and relocation costs. With the State Government settling the outstanding liabilities, drainage works have been installed, and the binder layer is now in place, with a target completion date set before the end of next year.
A major highlight was the fully revived Kabala Costain-Aliyu Makama Link Dual Carriage Road. Asphalt laying is underway, and a new dual-carriage bridge over the River Kaduna is under construction.
This strategic link will connect Kaduna South to Kaduna North, shorten travel distances, ease congestion at the Stadium Roundabout, and mitigate flooding risks. Compensation totaling nearly ₦1 billion has been paid to over 120 households to facilitate the expansion of this dual carriageway in Barnawa.
The former narrow lane has been widened and asphalted, and the bridge component has commenced—achievements made possible solely by Governor Uba Sani’s approval of the compensation package.
At the Sabo-Television Garage dual carriageway, rapid progress is revitalizing a previously collapsed commercial corridor. Dr. Ahmad noted, “Before now, people couldn’t even walk here, let alone drive. Businesses shut down. The progress you see today has brought back filling stations, supermarkets, and shops,” underscoring the Governor’s vision of economic revival.
Henry Zhang, Project Manager for the contractor CCECC, assured that materials are being sourced promptly and that manpower has increased to meet the State Government’s deadlines. “We will deliver quality work as directed,” he pledged.
Resident Adamu Ibrahim remarked, “Before this work started, the road was a nightmare, especially during the rainy season. Now we see real progress every week. We thank Governor Uba Sani for remembering this community.”
Mrs. Joy Mathew added, “Transport fares have dropped, and traders are coming back. We just want the government to maintain this pace until completion.”
Dr. Ahmad reiterated that routine inspections, as ordered by Governor Uba Sani, will continue until every priority road is finished.
“These are not just asphalt and concrete; these are roads to progress—roads that reopen businesses, connect communities, and uplift the economy. His Excellency Governor Uba Sani is determined to deliver them,” he concluded.
Through decisive action, transparent compensation, and the deployment of reputable contractors like CCECC, Kaduna State is transforming abandoned corridors into vibrant routes of commerce, fulfilling Governor Uba Sani’s promise of a more connected and prosperous Kaduna.
