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Nigeria: New Kano Urban Renewal Programme to Gulp N7 Billion -Commissioner

Hassan a Karofi

23 June 2008

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Alhaji Ibrahim Garba is the Commissioner, Project Monitoring in Malam Ibrahim Shekarau's government in this interview with Hassan A Karofi, he enumerates the ongoing efforts to turn Kano into a modern city by next year through massive infrastructural provisions.

Infrastructural development is one area your administration is said to be lagging behind in since its inception, why does your government choose to neglect this important aspect of development to something else?

At least you have been in Kano for a long time and you have seen the level of infrastructural development being carried out by many successive governments and you can also be able to compare the achievements recorded by each of the previous governments.

And I am sure what this administration has done in the areas of infrastructural development which has surpassed any other government in this state.

For example, we have spent so much money to enhance rural and urban infrastructures in the last five years more than any government has done in Kano state. Hospitals, roads, water projects and flood control, name them, we have changed the way things are done and people are witnesses to these achievements.

And let me tell you that no government in Kano state has built qualitative and quantitatively in terms of roads like this administration, and we are not saying this because we are in the government, no, our activities are open for everyone to see and cross check the facts we are giving.

We are challenging everyone who is interested in getting information about what we have done in these areas to come and request, he will be given all he needs to see for himself.

So, in terms of infrastructural development, all we can say is Allahamdu Lillahi, although this is not what we primarily promised our people when we came in, however, we have done that like no other persons have done in the state.

What we promised to do is human development and we have achieved so much in that area that today, the level of development in that direction is overwhelming with hundreds of thousands of youths and women recruited in various segment of the state.

This can be verified wherever one goes, people will testify to this and I am sure no one can dispute this fact.

But can this be substantiated, especially as the opposition in the state are arguing that unlike what you painted, your government has not achieved much in the area of infrastructural development?

Talking about the opposition which I am sure you are referring to the PDP, they should first settle and tell Nigerians how their government at the centre stole billions of naira which is now being exposed for everyone to see the kind of people they are before they begin to raise what they cannot substantiate.

If you think what the opposition is saying is anything to hold, let anyone check the massive infrastructural development we have carried out in the state.

In terms of road construction, can they dispute that we have not constructed so many urban roads like the Sabo Bakin Zuwo road which has been in a dilapidated condition for several years, Yola road, Koki, Kwan Hudu, which was a passage that made life for people in the area unbearable before we construct it.

Coca-Cola road is another urban road we have built, we have Wajila, Zage-Zango road and so many others that you can have this book(holding a booklet) where you can get all the urban roads we have constructed.

There are the intra state roads that were built which are now enabling our farmers to move their farm produce to various markets across the state and beyond. These roads include Takai-Falale road which was built at over N1bn, Kibiya road which cost over N750m as well as two brigdes in that area.

We also have Armatai and Garanya road, Dungurawa-Jalli road and the current eastern bye pass that is under construction.

In Sabon Gari area where the non indigenes are residing, no government since the establishment of this state, has ever thought of constructing roads in that area, but today, we have built the Igbo road, Burma road, France road, Sarkin Yaki road and so many others in that area alone and all these are there for everyone to see and verify.

So all these are urban roads and intra state roads that are intended to network the entire state so as to boost economic and socio-political activities in Kano and other neighbouring states.

With all these developments, can anyone argue that we have not done well in the area of infrastructural development?

Apart from these roads, are there any other developments that you are giving to the people?

Of course, let me add that this administration is solely concerned with the welfare of the people and we have been able to provide so much outlets for the people in the urban and rural areas so that they could be able to bring out their agricultural produce for sale in the markets, in one area at Tofa local government, we are building a road that has over 30 bridges and this is not a small money being spent for the people.

As far as the issue of infrastructure is concerned, no one can dare say we have not done adequately well including the opposition.

And that reminds me, Malam Shekarau has always said that the opposition is a catalyst for development and we are always ready to receive their criticism especially constructive ones, we are always ready to listen to them and implement their views for the good of the people.

But despite these beautiful scenario you have painted of infrastructural development within Kano city, some will argue that the traffic chaos in the city, heaps of refuse and other environmental dirt seen daily contradicts your claims.

This is not true and these things I mentioned are there to be seen and verified as I said and whoever wants to verify our information is for the public and can be given to anyone who demands it.

Additionally on the issues of traffic hold ups, very soon, our massive infrastructural development within the city will be unveiled in the next few months.

Right now, the committee responsible for that is working to unveil how the city will look like and I want to say that Kano will change for the better by next year when this plan is unveiled and executed.

What does the plan entail?

It is called Kano Urban Renewal Plan, this is a massive and dedicated development strategy that will see to the expansion of all roads in the city to three or four lanes, with street lights, drainages, pedestrian paths, land scarping and a whole lot of designs to turn the city into a modern one completely.

Already, the state government has set aside N7bn in a dedicated account for this project and by the end of the year, some of the roads within the city will definitely be in three or four lanes.

Again, we are also using solar energy as source to light our streets so as to ensure security everywhere in the city, even as 10 brand new generators have already been procured to power these streets lights. This is necessary due to the near absence of power from PHCN.

I want to assure everyone either living in Kano or who comes to Kano on business or pleasure, that by the beginning of next year, the infrastructures in the city can equal anyone anywhere in the world.

As you might have known, we are right now working with a private company to develop what we call "Kanawa market."

This is aimed at de-congesting the present "Singer" market and Abubakar Rimi market so that they could be like a more modern market which will have all the facilities needed for a standard market anywhere in the world.

This market will have over 3000 stalls, five star hotels, shopping malls, fire services, banks, thousands of warehouses, hospitals, parking spaces and so many other facilities all within one area. The intention is to give the people of Kano a world class market that can compare with any in the world.

It will equally reduce the traffic jam always witnessed along Singer and Sabon Gari markets, we believe this is an investment that will change the face of trade and business in the city.

Water has been another major headache which this administration seems to be unable to tackle. What actually is happening as the chairman of the implementation committee of that project and commissioner in charge of all projects in the state?

Well on water supply as we all know, there was serious water crisis in the state even before we came in 2003.

When we came in, only one of the six machines was working in Challawa, but we have been able to change all the six so as we can be able to pump water to all the nooks and crannies of the city.

Not only that, all other major source of water supply needed serious attention and this government has done its best to rehabilitate those needing rehabilitation and entirely build new one like the Tamburawa water works.

This is a project that gulped over N6bn and right now work has been completed, the only problem facing its release has been the absence of power supply from the PHCN.

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