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From Desmond Mgboh, Kano
Kano State Government, Friday, justified the award of a multi- billion contract for the construction of interchange projects at Dan – agundi and Tai’udu junctions in the metropolitan area of the state.
While the construction of the Dan agundi project was awarded at the cost of N15.97 billion to Messrs CGC Nigeria Limited and would be jointly financed by the state and local government areas, details of contractor and cost of the Tai’ adu Interchange was not stated in the statement.
A press release signed by the state Commissioner for Information, Baba Halilu Dantiye however expressed concern over attempts by some individuals to discredit the initiation, planning and execution of these projects and their objectives.
He charged that, “The insinuation that the sitting of these projects is inappropriate and the funding arrangement unfair is a clear indication that such individuals lacked the knowledge of the inner workings and operations of government, particularly on matters regarding funding of big projects as well as the strategic and collective needs of the people”.
According to him, “It is on record that all similar projects by the previous administration in the state were undertaken through a similar state- local governments financing arrangement” stressing that the funding of these two projects should not be misconstrued as different in any context from those in the past.
The Commissioner also reacted to criticisms regarding the earmarked locations of the projects, explaining that the chioced sites were very busy roads with heavy traffic hold ups, particularly at rush hours in addition to the fact that they were major link roads to industrial, commercial and educational centers in the state.
He further justified the sites, stating that they were entry and exit points for people from and travelling to many rural communities that are located west of the state capital.
He declared that the administration had made clear its resolve to initiate and implement appropriate policies and projects that would ensure development in both urban and rural areas, adding that no amount of “undue, misinformed and selfish” criticisms from any quarters would deter it from its resolve.
