The federal government has restated its determination to rebuild road infrastructure in the North-West region of Nigeria.

The Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Community Engagement (North-West), Abdullahi Tanko-Yakasai, stated this in Gusau, Zamfara State capital, on Tuesday, when he led the national media tour team for an inspection of the Zaria-Gusau-Sokoto dual carriage way project.

The national media tour team comprised the director of information and public relations at the Federal Ministry of Works, Muhammed Ahmad, and representatives from national media houses.

The team also comprised Bukola Odeyemi, the Senior Special Assistant to the Works Minister, Dave Umahi, and other officials of the Federal Ministry of Works.

The media tour team inaugurated an emergency road repair project in the Gidana Dawa area and an access road to the federal secretariat in Gusau, the Zamfara capital.

Mr Tanko-Yakasai said the dualisation of the Zaria-Gusau-Sokoto highway, which spans Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara, and Sokoto States, by the Tinubu administration would boost the region’s economic growth.

He added that the road project was of strategic importance to economic growth, trade, and security in the North-West.

“President Tinubu is passionate toward ensuring massive infrastructural development in all parts of the country, particularly the North-West.

“We really appreciate Mr President for executing these projects in our region,” he explained.

He commended the contractors handling the projects and urged them to comply with all contractual agreements and ensure a speedy and quality job.

Mr Tanko-Yakasai added that Mr Tinubu deserves the support of the people of the North-West by executing legacy projects that would guarantee the region for hundreds of years.

Responding, the controller of the Federal Ministry of Works in charge of Zamfara, Kasimu Yusuf, described the visit as a welcome development.

Mr Yusuf said the contract for the dualisation of 372 kilometres of the Zaria-Gusau-Sokoto highway was awarded by the federal government in 2023, with a 48-month duration.

He said the contact was categorised into four sections, saying, “Section one covers Zaria in Kaduna State to Sheme in Katsina State, while section two covers Sheme in Katsina State to Gusau in Zamfara.

“Section three covers Gusau to Colony–Talata Mafara in Zamfara, while section four covers Talata Mafara, Zamfara, to Sokoto.

“The 86.1 kilometres of the section two segment of the project have achieved 52 per cent completion, while the 93.7 kilometres of section three have achieved 14 per cent completion.”

According to him, the contractors handling the project are executing a quality job and working in line with the contractual agreement with the Federal Government.

(NAN)