Niger State Government has reiterated its commitment to improving the people’s socio-economic life by providing basic amenities.
Governor Abubakar Sani Bello stated this at the commissioning of 55.33km Kutigi-Dasun-Tashan Hajiya and the 11km Wuya Kantin-Etsu Tasha roads under the second phase of Rural Access and Mobility Projects (RAMP II) in Lavun local government area of the State.
He said that the 66.32km of roads commissioned were part of the 235km earmarked for a double coat surface dressing out of 700km of roads rehabilitated by RAMP II.
“We desire to embark on the double coat surfacing of some of these roads earlier rehabilitated by RAMP II in the State, totaling over 700km. This is to sustain our efforts in making the projects more enduring for an improved life for the rural communities across the state”, he said.
The Governor added that his administration is determined to expand and interlock several rural communities with access to essential services to better the lives of rural dwellers and fast-track their activities.
He said that the government’s target was to ensure that the people in the rural areas who are predominantly farmers get the best of their potential and can easily access the markets.
According to him, the government will continue to pay its counterpart funds for all donor-funded projects in the State for the socio-economic development of the State.
He called on the people to ensure that the roads were properly maintained for their benefit and advised them to refrain from allowing heavy-duty vehicles to ply the roads.
The Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Yusuf Muhammad Gunu, said that in the first phase of RAMP II, 176km of roads in seven local governments were reconstructed and rehabilitated, and 36 river crossings were constructed in 15 local government areas.
Under phase 2, he said 403km of roads had been rehabilitated and that the roads were carefully selected across the State based on their economic vibrancy.
He added that out of 235km of roads for double surface dressing, 103km are in Niger South Senatorial District (Zone A), representing 48 percent.
Also, the commissioner said 147.16km of roads across the three senatorial zones are earmarked for upgrading and surface dressing.
He commended the Governor for his efforts in transforming rural areas as he pledged the ministry’s resolve to support him to improve the lots of the rural communities.
The Permanent Secretary and State Project Coordinator, RAMP, Hassan Baba Etsu, said the present administration had provided about N8 billion Naira counterpart fund to RAMP.
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Baba Etsu explained that the Governor’s efforts in paying counterpart funds had qualified the State to participate in RAMP III.
He said that there will be construction of international markets across all the senatorial districts in the State to boost agricultural businesses in no distant time.
Chairman of Lavun local government, Isah Mohammed, also said the provision of the road will reduce the hardship that the people have suffered in the past.
He assured that the local government council would ensure good use of the road.
Appreciating the gesture of the state government on behalf of the benefiting communities, former Chief Press Secretary to Governor Sani Bello, Jibrin Baba Ndace, explained that over 200 communities are benefitting from the construction of the Kutigi-Dasun-Tashan Hajiya road, saying the road has connected them to two trunks ‘A’ roads and rail line.
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