From Uche Uche, Damaturu
Yobe state Governor, Ibrahim Gaidam, yesterday flagged off the reconstruction of a 77 kilometer dilapidated federal road project, which was constructed in the early 1970 but has never received any rehabilitation, thus giving motorists nightmare.
The 24 months road project awarded to Ric Rock Nigeria Limited at the cost of N5.99 billion, commences in Damaturu, the state capital, and passes through Buni Gari to Magza, the border between Yobe and Borno state.
Speaking during the flag-off ceremony, the state Governor, Ibrahim Gaidam, stated that the desire for intervening in the road project was based on the economic viability of the road to people of the state.
He also said it was in fulfillment of his campaign promises to the people in 2011, who had requested for government intervention because of the deplorable condition of the road.
He pointed out that last year, the state government expended over N15 billion on payment of road construction and has budgeted the sum of N16 billion in 2014, as capital expenditure for the construction of roads through the state ministry of works.
He stated that the state government is currently constructing a total of 870 kilometer roads with 30.2 kilometers of drainages across the state, adding that a total distance of 322 kilometers out of the 870 kilometers has been completed while construction of 542 kilometers is on-going.
He pointed out that the state government’s road development policy is a deliberate and strategic one since good road network is an important complement to the administration’s desire to improve the transport system, which he said, is not dispensable for the transportation of goods and services from the rural settlements to the major market centers.
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