Segun Babatunde, Bauchi
Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Abdukadir Mohammed has inaugurated the construction of the 22kms Darazo – Gabchiyari rural road in Darazo Local Government area of the State worth the sum of N2.66 billion.
Speaking during the ground breaking ceremony Monday, Governor Mohammed said the road would open up the area which is an agrarian community where farm produce is harvested through all – year farming.
The Governor emphasised that one of the priorities of his government is to ensure that development reaches the people especially those at the grassroots to open up the areas and take development to them.
Governor Mohammed who said that the road project will cost the sum of N2.66 billion and will be completed within 12 dry months to ensure that the entire community along the road enjoys the dividend of democracy, however criticised the immediate past administration of Governor Mohammed A. Abubakar for not doing a proper procurement for the construction of the road.
According to him, “We have to give credit to the administration of former Governor Mohammed Abdullahi for initiating the project, but it did not follow proper procurement process for it”.
Bala Mohammed added that “We have spent the sum of N800m before discovering that the former specification was not viable because of a lot of defects. We have done a redesign and now we have commenced the project”.
“The contractor, Prudent Construction has been told to ensure that the project was executed in accordance with the specifications and terms of contract. If that is done, the road will be in use for next 50 years,”.
The Governor then called on the benefitting communities to put the road to proper use and ensure that it was used for the purpose of main transportation, especially farm produce.
Governor Mohammed also said that his administration has uncovered many loopholes in project execution and has already taken steps to check the tide and ensure that projects were executed according to the specifications and terms of contract.
In his remarks earlier, the Commissioner, Ministry of Works and Transport, Hon Ibrahim Galadima explained that the road is a 22 km stretch from Darazo town to Gabchiyari linking several other villages and settlements along it.
The Commissioner added that the project is meant to make life easier for the various communities located in the axis assuring that it will further open up the area.
He assured that the project would be executed according to the specifications and terms of contract calling on the communities to appreciate the Governor and his administration by supporting it to succeed.
In his welcome address, Caretaker Chairman of Darazo Local Government Area, Samaila Ya’u Sade commended the Governor for the project saying that it was a long expected road considering the hardship facing people of the area.
He expressed joy that the project which is coming as a fulfillment of the campaign promises became a reality during his tenure saying that it has endeared the administration to the people.
