Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, has expressed worry over the delay in the handling of the Jega-Yauri road contract by Triacta Nigeria Limited. Fashola, who paid a working visit to Kebbi state to inspect housing and road projects, was at the Jega-Yauri road project site where he expressed dissatisfaction over delay in the execution of the contract, which was awarded two years ago. Similarly, the minister turned down the request of the state government to intervene by handling the road project to its completion and be re-reimbursed later. State Commissioner for Works and Transport, Alhaji Atiku Bunu Jega, who made the state position known, said the deplorable road hampered development, saying the decision to take over its completion was to ease transportation problem as the road in question serves as link between the North west states and South east.
He said the Emir of Yauri, Dr Muhammad Zayyanu Abdullahi, had complained severally over the deplorable condition of the road, another reason why the state government expressed the desire to take it upon itself to complete the project.
However, the minister said the road contract was for the federal ministry of works and therefore could only be handled by the ministry, saying “if the emir and the people of Yauri want the job to be started from Yauri, when the contractor mobilises to site, there would be no objection.” He further disclosed that monies were disbursed to the contractor and would, therefore, have no reason not to continue the job and complete it at the stipulated time, wondering why only 53 kilometers was so far covered.
