Kebbi road projects thrills FERMA, residents
Kebbi road projects thrills FERMA, residents
The Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA), in Kebbi, has completed two road projects out of three appropriated to the state in 2020.
The agency’s Maintenance Engineer in the state, Engr. Rilwanu Usman, made this known to newsmen after the inspection of the projects in Birnin Kebbi on Monday.
He said that the projects were completed in view of their economic and agricultural importance to the people of the state.
“The works completed are: Malando- Ngaski – Warra road, which is special repairs, involving patching of potholes ,scraping of some section that has about 1.7 kilometres length and asphalting, among others; and the contract has achieved 100 per cent completion stage.
“Another is Lailaba to Yeldu, which is a very critical road and it is the shortest link between Argungu and Lailaba to Yeldu, which is very important town in the state.
“It serves a lot of commercial purposes, but due to the paucity of funds , in 2019, our scope was limited to the construction of culverts at very critical locations.
“If you could recall in 2019, we constructed eight culverts and cleared road from zero to 14 kilometres; and now, this year, we have increased the work to 15 kilometres with four additional culverts in addition to 2.5 kilometers surface dressing.
“The road has accomplished its threshold, and what was provided has been exhausted,” he said.
According to him, the contractor handling Adamu Augie College of Education (COE) is yet to report for the uncompleted project.
Usman recalled that the agency, in 2019, constructed additional 1.8km access road in Adamu Augie College of Education (COE), Argungu, and reinforcement of line drain of 2km.
“We are still waiting for the contractor to report as he is yet to start another project but he is mobilising, ” he said.
On direct labour, Usman said, wash- out bridge of Argungu – Bui road, was also repaired sequel to the approval by the Agency’s Managing Director, Nuradeen Rafin-Dadi.
“The bridge has been repaired and the protective works of embankment is going on now.
” We also intend, at the 30 kilometres of the road, to strength the road as the road is gradually becoming asphaltic.
“Even now we have approval to go and increase one kilometer surface dressing any time from now as soon as the contractors resume back to work in Jan., 2021,” he said.
Usman, however, revealed that the Tuga – Ka’oje projects would soon commence as soon as the agency accessed the fund approved by its MD, Rafin-Dadi.
“Birnin Kebbi – Argungu – Sokoto road, which manifests potholes, will also be repaired if the agency accesses the fund,” the maintenance engineer added.
Earlier, Malam Shu’aibu Bala, a commercial driver, commended the Federal Government for rehabilitating 1.7 kilometer Malando- Ngaski- Warra road.
“We use to experience untold hardship while plying this road but now, we are happy and at the same time calling on the government to continue with the work in 2021,” he said.
Malam Murtala Hassan,a resident from Augie Local Government Area, commended the FERMA, for ensuring that they were back to the road again.
“We have now bounced back to our former life and businesses,because when the bridge collapsed, it forced an untold hardship on the traders and commercial drivers from our area.
“Argungu town is like a home to us, as most of us from Augie area come to do businesses in the town on daily basis.
“Some of us from Augie leave Argungu for our area in the night and we have no any hesitation as our road and the bridges are now excellently motorable,” he said.
Also, Malam Yanusa Maimota, a commercial driver from Yeldu, Arewa Local Government Area, expressed his satisfaction with quality of the work done on the 15 kilometers earth road.
“I am particularly happy with the road and culverts.
“We used to face difficulties when passing the footpath but now we pass the road unhindered even though is earth road but we are happy and we thank FERMA for that,” he said.
