By Abubakar Abba
Kaduna (Nigeria) — Barely Four months after abandoning of Marabar Kajuru 100 Million Naira road project in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, people of the area are decrying over the hardship experienced on the road.
The road is about four kilometres long and It is the only access road to the headquarters of the local government from Marabar Kajuru.
Investigations revealed that since its construction years back, the only work done on it was in 1989 during the reign of former Military Administrator of Kaduna state, Colonel Hameed Ali (rtd).
A resident of the area, Sani Kajuru, told this reporter that “the road was graded about four months ago and since then, nothing has been done on it and as a result of that, its users both vehicle owners and pedestrians are finding it difficult plying the road.”
One kabiru also lamented the situation saying, “we are now in rainy season and whenever there is a heavy down pour, vehicle owners and pedestrians are exposed to risks, because rain floods the road, especially that there is no good drainage system along the road.
“I am afraid that if something is not done on time by the authority concerned, one day we will wake up and the road will not be useable,” Kabiru added.
Also speaking, one Suleiman, a resident said, “we don’t really know who is responsible for abandoning of this road project, because the local government council has not come out to tell us why it was abandoned.”
Suleiman who is visibly angry said, “why are our leaders playing with the lives of the masses, and is this the type of change we have been yearning for?” He queried.
He disclosed that apart from this abandoned road project, there are also other road projects in the town that need urgent attention, but unfortunately nothing has been done on them, why are we been treated this way?”
It was alleged that the road project work was awarded during the tenure of the Immediate past Interim Management Committee Chairman of the Council, Mr. Isah Dansallah.
This reporter contacted Mr. Isah Dansallah over the matter, but he said, “we assumed office as Interim Management Committee on 6th July 2015 and before then, there were some proposed projects and the Marabar Kajuru road was part of it.”
“We proposed the road at the local government committee level of our party, APC, during the 2015 electioneering campaign and we submitted it to our governorship aspirant, El-rufai during that period, and the intention was to capture it in the 2016 budget, hoping that El-rufai eventually emerged as governor.”
“We did that because there is no way to do it outside the budget. We at the Council level approved it to be captured in the budget, and we even sought the consent of Hon Samuel Ubankato, who is currently representing the local government at the state house of assembly”.
He further said, “we did that because there was no way that we can send the submission to the House or go for defence without his consent, adding, we even went to the state house of assembly for defence.
“So, it is between the State House of Assembly and the Overseer.”
Dansallah pointed out that at the time in question, there was no fund allocation due to the shortfall in oil, which was an international issue, and apart from salary deduction, there was nothing left for any project.
He disclosed that, “the road is about four kilometres and the contract sum is 100 million Naira and up to the time we left office, there was no any adjustment.
According to him, “we vacated office on the 6th of January 2016, but before then, what I know vividly about the Council which I belonged to was, at that time, we captured that road under the 2016 proposed budget.”
“If you want further information, you can contact the Overseer of the Council, Bawa Idris, who took over from me when I vacated office as Interim Management Committee Chairman.
This reporter called Bawa Idiris severally via his mobile phone to hear his side, but he did not answer, nor responded to a text message.
