Reflection: How Bala Mohammed Two Years Road Revolution Fast-Track Bauchi's Urban Renewal Plan, Rural connectivity

June 27, 2021

Inadequate and unreliable infrastructure services have impeded the development of emerging states like Bauchi for decades.

Communities and people face a wide range of difficulties that hinder agricultural productivity.

A World Bank Development Research Paper argued that roads help in linking producers to markets, workers to jobs, students to school, and the sick to hospitals. Access to roads are vital to any development agenda; perhaps. It is against this backdrop that Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi state has since the inception of his administration on May 29, 2019, embarked on massive road construction across the 20 local government areas of the state.

Worried by the acute deficit in road infrastructure in the state, the Governor whom many considered as a wonderful man in his plan to urbanise the state apart from carrying along with other vital sectors of the economy, is paying good attention to road construction to bridge the existing a wide gap in the area of roads.

Today, there is a gleaming road, named after President Goodluck Jonathan, constructed by the governor within his first 100 days in office.

In Bauchi metropolis, two bypasses were identified and awarded, namely:

1. The Design and Construction of 6.2Km Sabon Kaura to Jos Road, was awarded to Messrs Habibu Engineering Nig. Ltd at the cost of N2,230,774,265.99; with a completion timeline of eighteen-months. (Completed)

2. The Design and Construction of 4.4Km Gombe Road by-pass to Tirwun, along Maiduguri Road at the cost of N2,581,199,115.19. (Completed)

3. The 1.8Km Yakubun Bauchi Quarters Link Road). (Completed)

In Azare, two contracts for the design and construction of strategic township roads, namely: the 1.8 km Tafawa Balewa Road and the 1.5 km Hospital Road were awarded to Messrs Mothercat Nig. Ltd at the cost of N1,019,107,285.24.

(Both roads 100% Completed)

Government also identified and awarded contracts for two major district roads: one in the southern senatorial district and another one in the Northern Senatorial District. These are: The design and construction of the 16Km Sade - Akuyam Road which links Darazo and Misau Local Government Areas; awarded to Messrs Habibu Engineering Nig. Ltd at the cost of N3,067,463,000.00 and the design and construction of the 58.4 Km Yelwan Duguri - Tora - Badaran Dutse - Birim - Bajama - Kundak - Wurno Road linking Alkaleri and Tafawa Balewa Local Government Areas, awarded to Messrs Triacta Nig. Ltd at the cost of N8,906,577,723.00. Both contracts have completion periods of 18-months. (Completion rate 95% respectively).

Prior to his administration, it was a great tribulation to drive from CBN roundabout to the railway roundabout. The abandoned road project forced people to flee their houses because of dust that crippled businesses and rendered many homeless and all filling stations on the road were shut down. That round is now history, for; it is dualised and electrified with eye-catching street lights.

These among other earlier projects were seen as glad tidings to the dividends of Democracy the governor intends to bring and has indicated how perfect and auspicious the start of his administration was.

Who could have ever imagined that there would be a time when people’s houses would be cleared and a road be constructed from Muda Lawal Market to Bakin Kura to Malam Goje? From Muda Lawal Market to Malam Goje was a long process journey; one would have to follow Bakin Kura street down to Tashan Babiye before he gets there, or alternatively take Kofar Ran route to Ajiya Adamu road, down to Malam Goje. But today, it is a straightforward ride, which takes a few minutes. Beyond easing transportation, these roads mean a lot, especially, the people of the area.

Another breakthrough the indefatigable governor Bala Mohammed has made, is the construction of 3 kilometres Gwam-gwam-gwam to Bakaro to Kafar Dumi road, 1.7 Kilometer Tambari House Estate to Sabon Kaura road, 370 Meter roads network at the newly constructed Hajj Camp all to the credit of the administration .

Like a downpour coming from the sky, within two years, out of patriotism for progress, Governor Bala Mohammed is constructing 11.6 Kilometer Boi-Tapshin road; 11.2 Kilometer Bogoro-Lusar-Malar road; 2.65 Bununu township roads; 2.5 Kilometer Sade township road; 25.5 Kilometer Udubo-Gamawa road and Warji-Gwaram road.

Other road projects include the 3 Kilometer Disina township road .These are not all! The summation of roads completed, by Senator Bala Mohammed is 286.7 Kilometers long is excluding the recently awarded ones, currently under construction and some of which have reached an appreciable stage. For a governor to have achieved this within the shortest span of time and with meagre resources at hand, there must involve a reforming zeal existing within his subconscious.

In pictures, see below some of the roads and bridges completed within just two years!