Kano Govt Won’t Stop Interchange Projects, Says Commissioner

Kano State government has justified the planned construction of Dan Agundi and Tal’udu interchange to be jointly financed by both the state and local governments.

The government said it won’t renege on it despite criticisms from various quarters.

The commissioner for information, Baba Dantiye, in a statement yesterday, said the construction was approved during the State Executive Council sitting on November 29, 2023, with the sole aim of decongesting the ever-busy junctions, easing traffic flow as well as to facilitate economic growth of the state.

According to him, the interchange located at Dan Agundi junction along BUK Road and Tal’udu junction along Aminu Kano Way by Abdullahi Muhammed Wase Road all in the metropolis, will each consist of an underpass and flyover bridge. He added that the Dan Agundi Interchange was awarded to Messrs CGC Nigeria Limited at the cost of N15.97billion.

While expressing its resolve for the timely execution of the projects and initiation of other laudable policies and projects in the state, Dantiye said there is no amount of undue and selfish criticism that will make the government renege on its promises and commitment to initiating and executing projects and policies that will improve the wellbeing of the people and bring about general development of the state.

“The insinuation that the siting of the projects is inappropriate and the funding arrangement unfair is a clear indication that such individuals lack the knowledge of inner workings and operations of the government, particularly on matters regarding funding of big projects, as well as the strategic and collective needs of the people.

“It is on record that all similar projects by previous administrations in the state were undertaken through similar state-local governments joint financing arrangements and agreed upon by the two parties. Hence, these particular projects, in all fairness, should not be seen or misconstrued as different in any context,” he posited.

The commissioner however stated that the government had noted with deep satisfaction the level of happiness expressed by various segments of the public for the projects and assured of their timely execution.