*Goni-Gora, Barnawa Dual Carriage Way, Karatudu etc., abandoned
By Dominic Uzu
May 29, 2018 was the day set aside for Nigeria and Nigerians as democracy day since after 1999. It is a day of celebration for elected politicians who showcase their achievement and the dividend of democracy to their people.
In Kaduna state, May 29, 2018 has come and gone yet there was little or nothing to suggest that the state was part of this historical day despite the promise by the state government to commission number of projects on this day.
It will be recalled that the state government through the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Works, Mallam Murtala Dabo had told journalists that most of the projects he conducted over 50 journalists, assembled by the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ Kaduna State Council on media tour will be commissioned on the 29th May, 2018 to mark the Democracy day.
The NUJ Media Inspection Tour of El-Rufai’s projects in the state started on the 10th April, 2018 and all the three senatorial district, Kaduna South, North and Central were covered within the period of three weeks. The first pot of call was roads project in Ungwar Sanusi, Tudun Wada and the 8 kilometers dual carriage way in Rigasa, where few contractors were hurriedly assembled and skeletal jobs were seen done on the project.
Here, the tour guide, Adamu Hayatu, Special Assistant to the Commissioner of Budget and planning told journalists that funding has been the problem after government had paid compensation to those this project affected their houses.
Adamu Hayatu was optimistic when he told journalists; “Despite the financial problem which has hindered the speedy completion, this project is targeted to be commissioned on the democracy day, 29th may, 2018. This is not the only projects this government will be commissioning on the democracy day.”
Also in Rigasa three highly populated schools in Igabi Local Government Area, LEA Shawai in Hayin Dan Mani with population of 19,650 pupils where a two storey building with 20 classrooms are been constructed and LEA Primary School, Lokoja Road, Rigasa with a population of 30,215 with 28 classroom also been constructed and the contractors and the tour guide told journalists that all the projects will be ready by May.
In Barnawa, Kaduna South Local Government where Gilmore contractors were incharge, journalists were told that about 78 streets and 69 roads have about 69% completion roads but the group discovered that the major road leading to Barnawa which is supposed to be dualised has been abandoned for a very long time.
That same day, the team was taken to Goni-Gora, in Chikun Local Government Area where a 16 kilometer road project that has been abandoned for about four months. On arrival no single contractor was sighted but the tour guide, Murtala Dabo called one of the contractors handling the ring road to confirm when the road was going to be completed and he said in May 2018.
Other areas visited in Kaduna metropolis, precisely in Kaduna North Local Government where uncompleted projects were scattered here and there include Ungwar Rimi with 8.3 Kilometer roads and 30 streets, being handled by Mbrio.
Others are Ungwar Dosa 3.2 kilometer College road dualisation which is expected to gulp N1.2Billion and the 71 square meter Trailer Park at Mararaba Jos being constructed on Private Public Partnership between the Kaduna State Government and R&M on a 50-50 payment at total sum of N2.7B. Also in focus was the three storey building of the Kaduna State Media Broadcasting Service, a state owned media outfit that is been transformed to the tune of N3.1B, equipment inclusive.
The NUJ team embarked on the Northern Kaduna, otherwise known as Zone One after two weeks in continuation of the El-Rufai’s projects in the area and the following day, it was the turn of Southern Kaduna, Zone Three.
However, at the end of the media tour the journalists were still assured that most of the projects visited will be commissioned on 29th May, 2018 but to the surprise of most of the journalists that covered the tour nothing of such happened.
As a matter fact, soon after the tour most of the sites where contractors were mobilized because of Media tour, work has stopped and contractors disappeared.
Meanwhile, a source close to the Kaduna State Government has revealed that the refusal of the senate to approve the $350M was responsible for the state inability to complete any of the project but said that the government will continue to execute the projects in a gradual process.
https://www.africaprimenews.com/2018/05/31/news/nigeria-kaduna-govt-spends-n152bn-on-1053-projects-in-3-years-says-comm/