From Paul Orude, Bauchi
Former President of the Senate David Mark has flagged off the design and construction of three rural road projects in Bauchi State worth N7.3 billion.
The road projects are Warji-Gwaram, Bogoro -Lusa and Boi-Tapshin in Warji, Bogoro and Tafawa Balewa local government areas of the State respectively.
Mark while flagging off the rural road projects at a ground breaking ceremony in Warji on Tuesday, stressed the need for an inclusive governance that has welfare of the grassroots people at heart.
He said if democratic government is to thrive in the country then construction of accessible roads particularly to open up rural communities must be a priority.
Speaking at the ceremony held in Katanga Warji for the construction of the 13.5km Warji – Gwaram rural road, the two term President of the Nigerian Senate said that opening up the rural areas will bring development closer to the people.
He therefore commended Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed for embarking on construction of roads particularly rural roads in
Mark urged Mohammed to do more until all rural communities were linked up to development.
Governor Mohammed in his speech declared that roads are pivotal to development hence how adminstration passion for road design and construction projeci.
Mohammed strsses that good road is key to effective governance thus his administration has embarked on massive construction of roads across the state.
The Governor added that the priority of his PDP led administration is to change the perspective of governance in the state in order to make it rank among its contemporaries in the country.
Mohammed explained that the three rural road projects will be completed within 24 months expressing confidence that the contractor, Habibu Nigeria Engineering will deliver as expected.
The Governor who was full of appreciation for the cooperation between the executive and legislative arms of government stressed that without such collaboration it will be difficult for any democratic government to succeed.
Earlier, Commissioner of Works and Transport, Abdulkadir Ibrahim, said that roads are a measure of the development of any area stressing that without good access road a state cannot be regarded as developed.
The Commissioner who disclosed that so far since coming on board, the Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir led PDP administration has completed 10 roads across the state while 19 others are at various stages of construction with the aim of opening up the rural areas for grassroots development.
Chairman, Bauchi State House Committee on Works, Yusuf Inuwa Dadiye stated that the Legislative arm is proud to be associated with the Executive arm because according to him what they want is development and the executive is doing well in that area.
He said that they were surprised to see that 23 different roads are being construed across the state within a short period assuring that the Assembly will continue to collaborate with the executive.
Chaman of Warji local government area , Adamu Mohammed Danjumai commended the construction of the road which he said will further connect the area to the rest of the Northern part of the state as well as neighbouring states of Kano and Jigawa.