Niger government in conjunction with Rural Access and Mobility Project (RAMP) is to spend about N6.6 billion on surface dressing of 230 kilometers of six rural roads in the state.
The rehabilitation is expected to be under the RAMP 1 and 2 programme.
Gov. Abubakar Bello of Niger, disclosed this during the kick off ceremony of the projects in Izom, Gurara Local government area of the state.
Bello, who was represented by Alhaji Haliru Jikantoro, the state Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, explained that the first phase of the project had covered a distance of 176 km, with 30 river crossings.
He said that the second phase covered a total distance of 403.5km and are at various stages of completion.
He added that the roads were in addition to the 169km of rural roads that were rehabilitated under the Spot Improvement and Annual Mechanized Maintenance Intervention.
Bello said that the project was part of the World Bank and French Development Agency (AFD) co-financed initiative to improve transport conditions.
It is also to bring sustained access to the rural populace through rehabilitation and maintenance of key rural transport infrastructure.
“The traffic on the roads became unprecedented beyond what the earthen roads can withstand, this has prompted the state government to engage surface dressing of these roads to increase their durability.
“We have to do this to ensure that the huge investment in constructing the earthen roads does not go down the drains.
“All the six roads earmarked for this purpose have the potentials for high volume of traffic and are spread across the three geo-political zones of the state,” he said.
The governor listed the roads to include; Suleja – Abuchi- Izom road, Wuya Suman-Lemu road, Old Gawu-Farindoki road, Kampanin Bobi- Bangi road, Kutigi-Tashan Hajiya road and Wuya Kanti-Etsu Tasha road.
He reiterated government’s commitment to the infrastructure development of rural communities to support farmers, boost agricultural production and increase yield per hectare.
Earlier, Alhaji Hassan Etsu, Coordinator of RAMP in Niger, said that the project would bring about development in communities as the roads would serve as alternative route to Izom and Suleja.
Etsu disclosed that the RAMP III would consist of building of schools, clinics, storage and market facilities in order not to over stretch the existing facilities.
He commended the state government for providing an enabling environment in terms of prompt payment of counterpart funding,
In his remarks, Malam Awwal Ibrahim, Emir of Suleja, who was represented by Alhaji Shuaibu Gani, Madawakin Suleja, said that the projects would reduce traffic on Minna-Suleja road as well as serve as alternative route to Suleja and Abuja.
Malam Bala Mamman, resident of the area, appreciated the state government and World Bank for the projects, saying the projects would ease transportation and open development to rural communities.
“For many years, we find it difficult to travel from Izom to Suleja freely, but with this project, we can travel freely and move our farm products to markets,” he said.
