Kaduna govt to pay N3.5bn compensation as new road projects begin

Kaduna State Government has approved the rollout of fresh road construction and rehabilitation projects across all 23 Local Government Areas, with a N3.5 billion compensation package set aside for property owners and service providers affected by the projects.

The state’s Executive Council, at its recent meeting, gave the green light for the award of contracts for vital road projects, signaling the commencement of the second phase of Governor Uba Sani’s rural transformation and urban renewal agenda.

Managing Director of the Kaduna State Roads Agency (KADRA), Dr Abdullahi Baba Ahmed, who disclosed this to journalists on Thursday, said the compensation was aimed at ensuring smooth execution of the new projects without disputes over rights-of-way.

According to him, the new road projects were carefully selected to improve connectivity, enhance access to markets and services, and consolidate on the infrastructural foundation laid in the governor’s first two years in office.

“These new roads will touch every local government area in the state. We’re not just building roads, we are building access to opportunity, trade, and development,” Dr Ahmed said. “Governor Uba Sani remains committed to ensuring no community is left behind.”

Among the newly approved projects are the reconstruction of Rigasa Township Roads in Igabi LGA, the Kwoi Township Roads in Jaba LGA, and an asphaltic road linking Kachia-Zonkwa Road to the new Federal University of Applied Sciences in Kachia LGA.

Others include the completion of the long-abandoned dual carriage road from PAN Drive through Television Garage to Sabon Tasha in Chikun LGA; Bassawa Junction–Hunkiyi Junction road linking Sabon Gari to Kudan LGAs; and Kayarda Tasha–Maskawa–Dan Alhaji Road in Lere LGA.

Dr Ahmed noted that over 780 kilometres of roads have already been constructed or rehabilitated under the Uba Sani administration, including legacy projects started by past administrations, some dating back to the late Governor Patrick Yakowa’s tenure.

He described the new approvals as “a pivotal moment in Kaduna’s infrastructural journey,” adding that the government is committed to timely execution and delivering value for every kobo spent.

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