Bauchi Approves N1.5bn for Rural Roads to Boost Economic Growth, Devt 

Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi 

Bauchi State Executive Council (SEC), yesterday, during its meeting chaired by Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, ratified and approved the sum of N1.5b for the completion of the 25 kilometre Garingami–Murmur–Madufa rural road in Zaki Local Government Area of the state. 

The disclosure was made by the Commissioner of Special Duties and Rural Development, Hon. Faruk Mustapha, while briefing journalists immediately after the meeting. 

According to him, the development was following natural disasters of flooding during the last rainy season which damaged a portion of the rural road thereby stalling the progress of the project at 16 percent completion.

Mustapha further disclosed that the road was awarded under the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP) at the sum of N5.6b but could not go on as expected as it was severely affected by flooding in November 2024 due to climate change.

He explained that because the World Bank and French Development Agency backed RAAMP programme does not allow contract variation, the state government intervened to cover additional costs, including the haulage of construction materials from Azare, about 220 kilometres round trip, due to lack of suitable materials in the area.

The commissioner also said that the intervention would raise the road above flood levels to prevent future washouts and boost economic activities across the affected rural communities.

He stated that, “I presented a memo seeking for the ratification of the Council today on an intervention that the state government is known for, in all the rural areas like the agricultural marketing programmes, RAMP, on one of our roads that is from Garin Gani to Murmur Market in Zaki local government, totalling 25 kilometres of road.”

According to him, “That road was awarded under RAMP to Triacta Nigeria Limited, one of the companies that is known for road construction and very, very reputable in handling their work. In 2024, precisely in November, I think.”

He added that, “Incidentally, if you recall that there was a very serious climate change which resulted in washing of some critical roads, even some of the federal highways along that corridor from Azare to Jamaare, from Azare to Yobe, those roads were cut off. Not only that, one of our projects along that area again, which is RAMP, occurred numbering 30 kilometres from Azare and Shira.”

“The issue was that kind of climate change, that resulted in flooding the area, I mean, creating a new river there. So even those two projects had to really stop. So on that note, the state government, out of the magnanimity of the circumstances, decided to intervene in most of the rural aspects and agricultural machinery programmes that have been the road project construction,” he added. 

He explained that the roads are particularly meant for rural areas, especially in bringing out their massive farm produce. 

He however lamented that in the project, there are certain areas that are no-go areas for the government, like bridge construction. 

According to him, “We can only construct a bridge at just 1.5 meters. So we cannot go beyond that. In that case, the state government intervened in some of the bridges that are as long as 5, 6 metres. So also, that of Garangani, that was what really happened.”

He stated that “The area really got flooded, such that that road was hard to work on due to the climate resilience changes that we witnessed in that area. And coupled with the fact that the availability of material to use in top base and what have you could not be found around that area in that location.”

“So the contractors would have to travel so far, as a matter of 110 kilometres coming from that area and going back 110 kilometres. That is about 220 kilometres, which was not catch-up in the initial contract. The state government, because RAAMP programmes or projects are not done with variations because the World Bank and the French Development Agency approves whatever it is, there will be no variation,” he added. 

Mustapha added that, “based on the need and the essence of this commitment on those roads and the rural areas, because as we know, we have passion for development in the rural areas. We decided to intervene, based on what work has already been done.” 

“That is why the governor said the road should be raised to a very, very high level so that in case of the rainy season, that road will not be washed away again,” he assured. 

Mustapha noted that based on the development, the Triacta in collaboration with the consultants of the project from our Taskforce, supervising engineers, jointly came up with a harmonised solution based on that specific percentage of the materials to be used.” 

“Based on that development, graciously, the Council considered this very, very important road, which by the time the road is constructed, the economic activities of the rural populace in that area will definitely be boosted,” he added. 

He concluded, “This is where we are. And we thank the Council members for giving me this space to present the memo which was ractified and this excellent approval for the intervention of N1.5 billion to the initially awarded contract sum of about N5.6 billion to Triacta to construct a double-cost rural.”