Katsina State governor Dikko Umaru Radda has been heavily criticized for his role in the federal government’s cancellation of the N147.6bn contract for the full rehabilitation of the Katsina-Kankara-Dutsinma-Maraba Kankara road in Katsina State.
The contract, which was awarded to an indigenous firm, Vipan Global Resources Limited, in April 2024, has a 24-month completion period.
After the firm, widely believed to be competent judging from its experience in road project delivery, mobilised to the site and commenced work spanning 10km without being paid mobilisation fees, the federal government abruptly cancelled the contract on July 16 and asked the firm to stop work.
While residents and millions of others who used the ever-busy road wondered why the project was cancelled, Ibrahim Masari, the special assistant to President Tinubu on Political Matters, told a gathering in Katsina State that Governor Radda was behind the cancellation of the contract.
Addressing a gathering which also had Governor Radda in attendance, the presidential aide claimed Radda facilitated the contract for the Zaria-Hunkuyi-Dabai-Gozaki-Kafur road, which covers communities in Kaduna and Katsina states.
Reacting to Masari’s disclosure, a non-governmental organisation, Arewa Forum for Growth, said the cancellation showed clearly that Governor Radda has no interest of the people at heart.
The group also faulted the claims that Radda facilitated the contract for the Zaria-Hunkuyi-Dabai-Gozaki-Kafur road, which covers communities in Kaduna and Katsina, recalling that the project was awarded before President Tinubu assumed office.
“The presidential aide’s claim that Governor Radda asked that the contract be cancelled because it was awarded to the wrong person, obviously referring to a PDP figure linked to the Firm handling the road project, was sheer rubbish,” the group’s secretary, Bello Bishir said.
The group expressed displeasure and lampooned Governor Radda, insisting that such action was against the interest of Katsina people, especially millions of residents who ply the road on a daily basis.
Bishir also chided the president for kowtowing to Governor Radda, noting, “So because a firm is linked to someone from an opposition party, it should not be awarded a contract that will benefit millions of road users?”
He said Ibrahim Masari’s disclosure showed clearly that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is controlled by some persons with selfish and vested interests. “The president should check around his cabinet and count the number of persons who were at different times members of the opposition PDP including Ibrahim Masari and even Governor Radda,” he said.
The group enjoined President Tinubu to be careful in dealing with Governor Radda, whom it accused of sabotaging the president’s efforts, noting, “This is a governor who has been repeatedly accused of using his relationship with a former governor of one of the North West states to work with opposition figures to sabotage the president. He is among the governors working against the president’s interest.”
“He has nothing to show right from his days as SMEDAN boss, and while his colleagues are busy executing projects, Governor Radda has not even a single legacy project to his credit”, the group added, insisting that cancelling the contract was a great disservice to the people of the state.
The group said it also found out that Governor Radda stalled the contract for the building of navigational equipment in Umaru Musa Yar’Adua International Airport in Katsina.
Findings revealed that the road project, Contract Number 8489, was awarded to the firm on 5th April 2024 after a certificate of no objection was duly issued by the Bureau of Public Procurement and approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC).
Our correspondent sighted all the bidding documents, an award letter, Federal Executive Council (FEC) approval, an acceptance letter, an Engineer’s Order to begin work, and a site handover letter, among others.
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