By Abdullahi Idris Zuru
With due respect to my elders, compatriots, and indeed the entire people of our emirate believed to be educationally advanced, socially exposed, and economically self dependent. Intelligent analysis and well-formed opinions are always expected from a platform like ours. There is no gain saying that the forum’s major objectives include promoting and protecting the overall interest of the people. However, we should bear it in mind that we can only achieve if we are united with sincerity of purpose and humbly solicite for the support of the government and other people in the state with multi ethnic and religious backgrounds.
The reconstruction of Koko-Zuru federal road was awarded about five years ago but nothing has been achieved and nothing has been done by either the state government or prominent indigenes of Zuru to ensure that the contract is executed.
As one of the many indigenes of Zuru emirate selected by Comrade Governor Nasir Idris to assist him in the governance of the state in different positions and capacities let me share my knowledge of the relentless effort being made by His Excellency on the reconstruction of Koko-Zuru federal road.
We can sincerely testify to the fact that the execution of the project was among his campaign pledges to the leaders and people of Zuru emirate in view of its socio-economic importance. He demonstrated his determination to ensure the execution of the project by requesting the Federal government to revoke the contract and hand it over to the state government. Even when the request was kept in view, he made budgetary provision in 2024 bdget for the the project. When an intelligence report revealed that some individuals from the state were allegedly sabotaging the revocation of the contracts, he requested for the appointment of a high-powered delegation of prominent elders from Zuru emirate to visit the President under his leadership to request for the revocation of the contract but that has not been considered worth doing.
At the final of this year’s Annual Uhola International Cultural Festival in Zuru, Comrade Governor publically revealed that his efforts to ensure the revocation of the contract was being sabotage by some people including the people of Zuru emirate. For making the revelation, he called names and even accused of instigating the peaple against their leaders.
Apparently not deterred, the Governor again requested for the nomination of a few elders from the emirate to join others he will select from Gwandu, Argungu and Yauri to join him in fighting for the right of emirate at the Presidential Villa, that had also failed.
Eventually, the Comrade Governor took the bull by the horn, with the support of His Royal Highness Major-General Muhammadu Sani Sami Gomo ll, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly Alhaji Muhammad Usman Ankwe and the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu bulldozed his way to the Presidential Villa and succeeded in meeting⁵ Mr President with pictures and visuals of the deplorable condition of Koko-Zuru federal road, provided by the Speaker.
With sympathetic feelings, President Tinubu was said to have there and then, approved the revocation of the contract and handing over to the state government with an agreement of reimbursement after execution. The Presidential approval was recently confirmed by the Ministers of Works, Budget and Economic Planning and Finance and digital economy at different forums.
As at now, interested but competent contractors have been invited to submit their proposals for the execution of project.
When he received the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Kebbi State Chapter on a courtesy visit, Comrade Governor repeated that he fought external and internal forces to secure the revocation and subsequent handover of the project to the State government and expressed gratitude to Allah and those that genuinely supported him.
It was at that meeting he declared that “I will execute the project by all means and at all cost, even if it warrant obtaining loan “
By next week, God willing, a team of engineers from the Federal and Kebbi State governments will be at the project site to ascertain what the former contractor did, if any, the value of the project, the quality and completion period for the final documentation.
It should also be noted that Zuru emirate will also get it’s fair share of all projects and programmes in the state regardless of the huge amount the road project will consume.
My dear brothers and sisters, using the platform to showcase the developmental projects of the Govenor should be considered as our contributions to the success of his administration and eventually attract more government developmental projects in the emirate.
Please let us at all times be informed by accurate information before we make final assessment in order to avoid involvement in baseless and unfounded allegations.
Yauri Township roads and PDP’s insensitivity
Meanwhile, the Kebbi State Chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has confirmed the commitment of the All Progressive Congress ( APC)controlled state Governor Comrade Nasir Idris to good governance in the administration of the state.
The Party, in a press statement apparently aimed at rubbishing the execution of Yauri township road, knowingly or unknowingly observed that the inability of the government officials to monitor execution of projects is “forcing the Governor to carry out direct supervision on projects across the state “
In the statement dated 21st October, 2024 and signed by the state secretary, Hon Abubakar Bawa Kalgo, the party however advised Comrade Nasir to continue monitoring government officials assigned to supervise execution of projects to ensure “effective discharge of assigned duties “
The All Progressive Congress (APC) controlled state government viewed part of the PDP’s observations as advice, which the Comrade Governor has been requesting from well-meaning indigenes regardless of political affliction in compliance with his open door policy.
However, it also noted some parts of the statement as a clear demonstration of insensitivity for the plight of many people displaced by this year’s unprecedented flooding experienced in many states, including Kebbi.
Many patriotic people of Kebbi State may be wondering whether or not the state chapter of the PDP is unaware of the devastating effect of the flood that cut the road leading to sokoto from Argungu that forced motorists to be following through Dogon-daji to sokoto?
Are they unmindful on the destruction of the Suru-Dakingari bridge and that of Rara to Koko, which inevitably forced the people Zuru and Yauri emirates to be diverting through Dakingari to or from Birnin Kebbi?
Similarly, is the PDP unconcerned of the unestimable financial loss and socio-economic destruction being incurred by the people as a result of the multiple disasters?
Why did the party single-out the washing away of some portions of Yauri township road for its mischievous observations?
However, let it be clearly understood that no amount of blackmail or mischievous campaign of calumny will make Comrade Nasir Idris deviate from his commitment to changing the political and socio-economic narrative of Kebbi State.
The people of Kebbi State are hereby assured that Comrade Governor Nasir has already commenced fruitful discussions with the Federal Ministry of works on how to jointly and immediately too, reconstruct the effected roads and bridges in the state. He is also working with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) for additional relief materials for the affected communities in the state.
Zuru is the Special Adviser on Communication and Strategy to Kebbi State Governor.
