Niger Expends N8bn On World Bank-sponsored Rural Project

Niger State government has paid over N8 billion as a counterpart fund for all Rural Access Mobility Projects (RAMP) as Governor Abubakar Sani Bello reiterated his commitment to improving the socio-economic life of the people.

He gave the assurance at the commissioning of 55.33km Kutigi-Dasun-Tashan Hajiya and the 11km Wuya Kantin-Etsu Tasha roads under the second phase of Rural Access and Mobility Projects (RAMP II) in the Lavun local government area.

Governor San Bello said that the 66.32km of roads commissioned were part of the 235km earmarked for a double coat surface dressing out of 700km of roads rehabilitated by RAMP II.

“We desire to embark on the double coat surfacing of some of these roads earlier rehabilitated by RAMP II in the state, totaling over 700km. This is to sustain our efforts in making the projects more enduring for an improved life for the rural communities across the state”, he said.

He said that the government’s target was to ensure that the people in the rural areas who predominantly are farmers get the best of their potential and can access the markets with ease.

The commissioner for agriculture and rural development, Yusuf Muhammad Gunu said that in the first phase of RAMP II, 176km of roads in seven local governments were reconstructed and rehabilitated, and 36 river crossings were constructed in 15 local government areas.

The permanent secretary and state project coordinator, RAMP, Hassan Baba Etsu, said the present administration has provided a N8 billion counterpart fund to RAMP.

Baba Etsu explained that the efforts of the Governor in the payment of counterpart funds have qualified the state to participate in RAMP III.