Construction of a 41.27-kilometre road linking the University Gate with Kwalkwalawa, Inname and Binji has officially begun in Sokoto. The project is priced at ₦16.8 billion.
The project was officially off on Thursday by the former Deputy Governor of Zamfara State and Senator Hassan Muhammad Nasiha Gusau as part of efforts to promote rural connection and stimulate agricultural and economic activity across the state of Sokoto.
The University Gate-Kwalkwalawa-Inname-Binji Road is being implemented by a partnership between the Sokoto State Government, the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), SCALE-UP and the World Bank.
The road passes through parts of Wamakko and Binji Local Government Areas and is expected to link a number of rural communities with markets, schools, health facilities and other critical services.
Speaking at the flag-off event, Sokoto State Governor Ahmed Aliyu said the project was a reflection of his administration’s resolve to open up rural communities and create an atmosphere where agriculture and other economic activities could thrive.
“The road corridor is largely agricultural,” the governor said, adding that transport infrastructure is especially crucial for farmers who rely on highways to ferry their produce to markets.
When completed, the project will ease transportation challenges, enhance mobility and promote the flow of agricultural products and make it easier for the population to access important services’, he said.
The project comprises of road works, hydraulic structures, asphalt wearing courses, surface preparation, culverts and road furniture.
Governor Aliyu praised the road as a major socio-economic intervention, which would link the communities to economic prospects and help to the overall development of the state.
He advised the contractor, engineers, consultants and other specialists handling the project to follow the authorised specifications in letter and spirit and complete it in time.
The governor also called to communities along the road to work with the contractor and project implementation team to guarantee smooth implementation.
Senator Nasiha flagged off the project, commending the Federal Government, Sokoto State Government and development partners for supporting infrastructure development, agricultural production and poverty eradication.
He said the road is a major initiative that would contribute to social economic development of villages along the corridor.
Nasiha urged the contractor to complete the project as per the authorised specifications and within the stipulated period.
He also urged the beneficiary communities to support the project, work with the people in charge of development and protect the infrastructure when it is completed.
According to the State Coordinator of RAAMP, Engineer Malami Umar Tambuwal, the project was more than a transport corridor, but an investment in the future of communities along the route.
He claimed the new road network would cut travel time and transport costs and make it easier for farmers to access markets.
He said that improved road connectivity might also assist cut post-harvest losses since agricultural produce will be able to reach the markets more effectively.
Tambuwal said the initiative would also help create jobs during construction, reduce poverty and enhance economic activities in the recipient villages.
The District Head of Gwadabawa, Alhaji Muhammad Lawal Zayyana, who represented the Sultan of Sokoto at the occasion, also praised the Sokoto State Government, RAAMP, the World Bank and other development partners.
Improved rural connectivity will enhance agricultural production and allow people and things to move more easily, he said.
The road project is among the infrastructure projects embarked upon by the Sokoto State Government, which has maintained the priority of constructing and rehabilitating rural and township roads.
If implemented as intended, the University Gate–Kwalkwalawa–Inname–Binji corridor would enhance connectivity between rural areas and urban centers while promoting agriculture, trade and access to social services in portions of Sokoto State.
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