Farmers and community leaders in Ladduga and Kachia have commended Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna state for awarding a road contract to link the 30 hectares Ladduga agricultural hub with Cattle Crossing, Kachia.
The 22km road awarded to an indigenous contractor, Farmtrac Nigeria Limited, which is at 85% completion, would link Ladduga’s 30 hectares of farmland and grazing reserves with Kachia, ensuring that farm produce and meat and hide can easily reach market in Kachia and even Kaduna, while preventing pregnant women and children from dying on their way to hospital.
The community leaders in Ladduga, Kachia Local Government Area (LGA) in Southern Kaduna senatorial zone, equally lauded the quality and standard of work by the indigenous contractor, while expressing delight that their pregnant women, sick women and children will not be dying on their way to hospital in Kachia especially during raining season when it takes them days to commute less than 30km distance.
According to Ladduga Youth Leader, Malam Jaafar Salisu, “we are very happy with the road construction, we thank Governor Nasir el-Rufai for awarding the road. Before they do the road, we cannot move our farm produce. Many pregnant women and children died on the road on their way to Kachia because we don’t have hospitals in Ladduga. It takes us up to one and half hours to reach Cattle Crossing.
“At times during the rains when the river is full, vehicles would have to wait for hours for the water to clear. We thank the contractor for doing quality work, which we are already seeing. When it rains, within five minutes the road will have drained and become motorable again.”
For Hadiza Musa, a fura seller, the road and bridge has made movement easy for them especially during the rains. “During the rains we have to come and wait for hours by the river side for the water to move. But now with the ongoing road construction and the new bridge we can easily follow the bridge. We thank the government for rebuilding the road.”
For Saidu Ibrahim, a commercial driver, the new road has changed things in Ladduga. “There is a huge difference now. Everything has changed, there are more commercial activities. We have a good road. Farmtrac is doing a very good job, we thank Governor Nasir el-Rufai for rebuilding the road for us. We have what i can describe as the best road in Southern Kaduna.”
Yahuza Ahmad Ladduga, an okada rider said, “okada riders used to have lots of challenges not to talk of vehicle drivers, the rains and bad roads destroyed many of our vehicles. We thank Governor el-Rufai for awarding the contract and the contractor for doing a good job. Previously, contractors would come and promise to do the job without any result but Farmtrac came with the intention of doing a quality job”.
For a former executive secretary, Kaduna state revenue board, Alhaji Ahmed Jibril, the new road is a blessing in many ways. “We used to trek for two hours to Cattle Crossing because few vehicles can enter here. Many pregnant women died on their way to hospital in Kachia because of the trekking but now it takes 20 minutes. Things are going well, a central mosque is being built in Kurmin Nyako and private primary and secondary schools have started here.”
Former majority leader, Kaduna State House of Assembly, Hon. David Umar Gurara, also commended Farmtrac for the quality of their work.
“I’m a PDP member, from a different party, but governor el-Rufai made a good choice in giving the 10km township road to Farmtrac. I want the governor to give Farmtrac other roads to continue to do the good work in Kachia because Alhaji Sadiq Abubakar is determined to change Kachia to a city.”
Also speaking, Kachia LGA Chairman, Hon. Peter Agite thanked governor Nasir el-Rufai for linking Ladduga with Kachia and Farmtrac for doing a commendable job. “We thank God that Governor el-Rufai brought a capable contractor who is doing his best to bring Kachia to limelight. Alhaji Sadiq Abubakar has done very good works in Kachia township roads and GSS Kachia. He really has the love of Kachia at heart that is why I’m preaching to my people to remain in peace so that more development can come.”
