The tempo of activities that has characterised Governor Dikko Umar Radda’s governance particularly on infrastructural development has been described as key to Katsina’s transformation. AUGUSTINE OKEZIE Writes:
Engineer Sani Magaji, Katsina State’s Commissioner for Works, Housing and Transport, in a media chat in his office, told The Nation, during an exclusive media chat in his office in Katsina that Radda’s careful planning and commitment to project execution, prompt budgetary provisions before commencement of projects, as well as regular site visitations of ongoing projects, represents the urgently needed style of governance that will drive katsina to the promise land.
The Commissioner further commented on the areas of inherited projects, those completed, ongoing, pending and future project plans, which he further described as needed panacea for growth and development of Katsina State.
He said: “We also have projects that are still with the contractors, while some others were work in progress, they are still ongoing, some have captured huge amount of money that will finish the work, because we had to review the price because of their inflation while some of the projects are been awarded from the last six to seven years.”
“You could see the inflation rates now, Such that his Excellency had to review and approved the reviewed contracts, and we have started and by the grace of God, I assure you within next year all the ongoing projects will be completed.
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“We have a lots of ongoing projects and there those projects awarded by Dikko Radda. To be completed in the Next year and I know by the end of this tenure all the roads that are been awarded will be completed. We also have some projects that we intend to do but Dikko Radda in most times insists on town hall meeting for people to come and requests what they want done for them.
“Even last year before we do the budget we had a town hall meeting with his Excellency to go round the 3 senatorial zones and the people gathered to say what they want and he listened to the people and I know part of what we want to do is consider and execute his urban renewal plans also for Daura zone, what we did for Katsina Zone and for Funtua Zone.”
The Commissioner further revealed that there are some projects that are yet to be done, which were part of the promises made during electioneering campaigns, including Rafin Giwa and Sayau and so on; which were part of the campaign promises, adding that soon, latest in the coming weeks, an announcement will be made that their contracts have been awarded.
He said: “There is still pending projects which are located in Sabuwa and Dandume, from where complaints were received and promises made, and because of the complaints received and the people cried to him that they needed the roads repaired, they must receive Government’s attention.”
On Water board/contractors conflicts
On the issue of conflicts between contractors, the water boards, delays in contract execution of ongoing projects, the commissioner reiterated that the timely interventions of the ministry whenever such matter arises also help resolve pending issues of relocation and delays in projects execution.
He said: “Some of the pipes were illegally tapped from the main pipe, what we used to do, we liaise with the water board, usually we will have a meeting with the contractor, water board and the ministry, so that they will go with the contractor and ministry staff, so that the water board will now show them where they have that main pipes.
“We hardly hit a main pipe unless it was not shown or unless there is no other way to do it we cut it, this is because; if the pipe is soft we have to remove or replace it with a suitable material. You know at times, no matter how the laborer or the operator does his work, he has to be very careful for him not to touch them.
“Most at times a small illegal connection, some are not illegal though, we disconnect from the main pipe then ask the water board to come so that, we even ask them bring their cost of implication of relocating that pipes to the side of the road, that was what we do most times.”
On Kasrota
The Commissioner stated that the Katsina State Safety and Road Traffic Authority (KASSAROTA) recruited 304 new personnel to strengthen the operation of the agency and enable it cover all local governments areas in the state.
Transportation KSTA
The Construction of two new Bus stations at Marshi and Ingawa towns as well as the construction of permanent headquarters and passenger depots at Morawa near welcome to Katsina Gate.
Also the Procurement of 40 additional new Toyota Hiace Buses to the fleet of KSTA following the removal of fuel subsidy by the federal government to ease transportation difficulties of people of the state with a subsidy in the transport.
Building
The Construction of headquarters of new ministry for budget and economic planning at the state Secretariat complex as well as the Construction of the treasury department opposite the state Ministry of Finance, were dome of the ongoing projects in the building sector.
