Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed has said despite being in the opposition, his administration would not hesitate to commend the federal government when it lends credence to the state, especially in propelling developmental goals.
The governor revealed that the federal government was instrumental to the construction of Duguri-Mansur Road now in progress following the state’s complaints to the central government on the deterioration of the road.
The governor spoke Thursday during the ground-breaking ceremony of the 25.80km Mainamaji-Badaran-Kuka-Pali Road to be constructed at the cost of over N4 billion under the Rural Access Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP) programme.
Governor Mohammed attributed the deterioration of some roads in the state, especially in Alkaleri local government area to illegal mining activities in the past, but said that the area is now in control of the state government.
He explained that construction of rural roads across the three senatorial districts of the state, especially in Alkaleri LGA would facilitate the smooth establishment of the proposed Gwana Cement Factory in the area adding that construction would commence in the first quarter of next year.
He noted that the establishment of the factory would to a great extent curb youth restiveness as the company would provide employment opportunities to the teeming youth in the state.
Governor Mohammed disclosed that the factory, which has the working capital of $1.5 billion, would engage the services of 2,000 drivers who would drive the trailers on owner-occupier basis for the transportation of the commodity.
This, he said, was in addition to the establishment of the over N7 billion Alkaleri Oil and Gas Institute which has already taken off and the sum of N4.5 billion committed to the project.
Earlier, the State Commissioner for Rural Development and Special Duties, Hon Farouk Mustapha said that the five rural roads measuring 115km would be constructed at the cost of N23.3 billion.
He explained that the rural roads would be constructed by the World Bank and the French Development Agency in collaboration with the federal government and 19 collaborating states, including Bauchi.
