The Federal Government has assured that, work will soon resume on the Bida-Lapai-Lambata road project in Niger state to address its bad state, save lives, properties and the lingering insecurity.
The Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, gave this assurance when stakeholders under the aegis of ‘Coalition Of Niger South Development Associations, led by the lawmaker representing Bida/Gbako/Katcha federal constituency of Niger state, Hon. Sa’idu Musa Abdullahi paid him a courtesy visit.
The lawmaker had stressed the need for the federal government to complete the project because of its socio-economic importance as well as to address the security situation affecting communities on the axis.
In his remarks, Chairman of Bida Forum, Muhammad Jameel Muhammad who spoke on behalf of the coalition, said they visit to appeal for the minister’s urgent intervention to address the challenges they had been facing for decades.
He said:”the first one sir is now because of the way the road is in fact very closer along the stretch articulated and heavy trucks so we’re requesting the first one is emergency remedial work on the back spots but at least the road will be passable. The second is, all what we want in the next two months, let’s begin to see something on ground, mobilization to site, let the contractors.
“The third is that we want to have on the monitoring team, community representation, at least we will be able to interface with the team. We are not saying we are going to interfere with the technical, but we will give that support in times of even community relation what do they need and what can we do to make the work faster.
“Lastly, it’s important to us it has been said by people we have seen that in the past that’s, that road it’s a political campaign tool, so we want this time around it shouldn’t be political approval we want the job done…we have had governments that have come to do the same, we have even mentioned some will even say that they are they are doing groundbreaking but afterwards nothing happened.
“Honorable minister, this is our request, and we will be so much happier and we’ll be able to calm the frustration of people back home down people will go back today with some certain level of commitment and not promises. Promise and action with a clear timeline”.
