Farmers transporting onions to Gada in Sokoto State have seen the cost of moving a bag of produce fall from as much as N10,000 to about N1,000 after construction of a rural road, the state government has said.
The reduction was disclosed on Sunday by Malami Muhammed, Special Adviser to Governor Ahmed Aliyu on Rural Roads Development, who said the road had also allowed trailers to reach farming areas directly to load produce.
The development comes as the state government works on a rural road programme covering about 1,365 kilometres, with contracts already awarded for construction and rehabilitation. Another 530 kilometres have been identified, bringing the total road length being handled by the administration to about 1,895 kilometres.
Muhammed said the change in transport costs shows the practical effect of providing road access to farming areas, where poor routes had made it costly to take produce to markets.
From N10,000 transport bill to N1,000
Before the road was constructed, farmers in one of the areas linking farming communities to Gada paid as much as N10,000 to transport a bag of onions to the town.
“Now, a trailer can go to that place and load directly. The transportation cost has reduced from N10,000 to about N1,000,” Muhammed said.
The road has therefore changed how produce is collected from the farming area. Instead of transporters facing difficulty reaching the farms, trailers can now enter the area and load onions directly.
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Muhammed said access to roads is also important because other services depend on them.
“The importance of roads cannot be overemphasised. Without roads, you cannot go to school; without roads, you cannot go to hospital; and without roads, you cannot carry your food from the farm to the market,” he said.
He said roads are also needed to reach locations where the government plans to provide other infrastructure.
“If there are no roads, can you dig boreholes? There is no access. You cannot use your vehicle to go and dig boreholes or provide electricity infrastructure,” he said.
The state has classified the road projects into feeder roads, surface-dressed roads and asphalt roads.
One of the projects is a 23-kilometre road connecting Dogondaji, Napa Guda, Yagawal and Tambuwal. Another covers about 21.18 kilometres between Afag Alasan and Optimal Liman in Tambuwal.
An asphalt road covering 14.7 kilometres also connects Nizawiya, Ngongoriyaya, Ngoromedaji and Ngongonduko.
1,895km road programme
Muhammed said 1,365 kilometres had already been identified, designed and awarded for construction or rehabilitation. The projects are at different stages, with some completed and commissioned, some completed but awaiting commissioning, and others still under construction.
The additional 530 kilometres were identified after a directive from the state government. Muhammed said contractor engagement was already being processed for those roads.
He said requests from residents and elected representatives are considered alongside the available budget when roads are selected.
“When we look at it, we consider the possibility and the budget to see whether we have provision or not. Then we go and measure the road and keep the record.”
The road programme also covers access needed for economic activities in rural areas. Muhammed said the state is constructing three markets in Illela, Gada and Bodinga, with the facilities at different stages of completion.
“We are building three markets in the state, one in Illela, one in Gada and one at Bodinga. All of them are at various levels of completion,” he said.
He said at least one of the markets could be commissioned within one to two months. The facility includes a grain market and an abattoir.
Muhammed also asked residents to protect completed roads from damage, particularly by digging into the roads or installing unauthorised speed bumps.
He said the 14.7-kilometre road in the Buziga, Lukuwa, Eregadama, Lekawa and Tushala axis cost the state about N4 billion.
“This is public money. If it is yours or mine, nobody will allow that to happen. We are not going to take it lightly if anybody is caught trying to misuse the road,” he said.
The adviser said the administration’s rural road programme is intended to provide access to towns, markets and farms.
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