N350bn Kwara road project will open up businesses- Speaker

The Speaker, Kwara State House of Assembly, North Central Nigeria, Engr Yakubu Danladi Salihu, has said that the ongoing construction of the 130 Kilometres Bode Saadu-Kaiama-Kosubosu road would open up business opportunities between Kwara and neighbouring states upon completion.

He described the N350billion road project as a major breakthrough for the people of Kwara North, who have been yearning for a road that would seamlessly link the five local government areas that form the senatorial district.

Salihu, who stated this weekend during a tour of the road along with the Kwara North stakeholders, also commended former President Muhammadu Buhari, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for facilitating the road through tax credit.

The road project, which is at the instance of the Federal Government through BUA Group of Companies, is being funded under the Tax Credit Scheme in the Executive Order 7, which former President Buhari issued while in office.

Speaking after touring the project, the Speaker explained that before now, the tax credit was alien to Kwarans, stressing that it was Governor AbdulRazaq, who lobbied the federal government to get the road awarded to BUA Group of Companies.

“In Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, we have a Governor that means well for his people and goes all out to improve their living standard. But for his efforts, Kwara State would not have benefitted from the tax credit initiative.

“So, on behalf of the stakeholders from the Kwara North Senatorial district, especially our traditional, community, religious and political leaders, we are grateful to the President and the Governor for this massive project that will FastTrack development in our state”, the Speaker noted.

He also noted that farmers from the Kwara North, which is reputed as the food basket of the state, have been going through hell transporting their farm produce to urban areas on account of poor road network.

“The road, when completed, will among other benefits serve as a unifying factor for the five Local Government areas in the northern part of the state; Baruten, Edu, Moro, Kaiama, and Patigi, and it will ensure transportation of goods and services, especially agricultural farm produce to other parts of the state and across the country as a whole.

“This will also ensure that our farm produce get to the market on time and ultimately crash soaring food prices,” the speaker said.

Former Deputy Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Matthew Okedare and two members of the state House of Assembly, Abdullahi Halidu Danbaba (Kaiama, Kemanji, Wajibe Constituency), Madinat AbdulRaheem (Lanwa/Ejidongari Constituency), who also spoke on the tour, commented on the economic benefit of the roads and applauded President Tinubu and Governor AbdulRazaq for the infrastructural development.

Also speaking, a Kwara North stakeholder, Mohammed Mariam Al-Hassan, said the project was an unprecedented development in the history of the senatorial district, attributing the feat to the ‘diplomatic efforts’ of Governor AbdulRazaq.

Alhassan said, “I must be honest, this is the best thing that has ever happened to our senatorial district since the creation of Kwara State. This senatorial district has suffered some sort of neglect but we believe that everything is with time.”

Alhassan added that the road construction would also ensure security of passengers as it would save them the hassles of having to travel enroute bush paths in Oyo state to connect Baruten-Kaiama axis.

He commended Governor AbdulRazaq’s diplomatic actions, which he noted, result in the fruition of the ongoing project.

The road project, at the instance of the federal government, which Governor AbdulRazaq facilitated, when completed, will link Bode Saadu-Kaiama-Kosubosu; Bacita-Shonga-Lafiagi; Eiyenkorin-Afon-Offa-Odo-Otin; and Okuta-Bukuro Road, and connect to Benin Republic.