Katsina State government is spending N320 million on construction of each kilometre of road, which is more expensive than what obtains in its neighbouring states in the Northwest, according to investigation by 21st CENTURY CHRONICLE.
The state government recently awarded a contract for the construction of a 3-kilometre Jibiyar Maje to Maradi road, linking the state with Niger Republic.
The contract scope which includes a 60 metre bridge, concrete tarring and some drainages, was awarded to AFDIN construction company at the cost of N962 million.
AFDIN is owned by a business mogul, Alhaji Dahiru Barau Mangal.
A breakdown of the contract sum shows that the road is being constructed at over N320 million per kilometer, making it the most expensive road in the North Western part of the country, compared to four other states in the geopolitical zone.
Recall that after the contract award was made public, a civil society organisation, Katsina Budget Awareness Initiative, had queried the contract sum, saying it was too high but the state government in its defense, said the contract was awarded to the lowest bidder.
A comparative analysis of road projects in other states of the Northwest, using newspaper reports, shows that it costs more to construct a kilometre of road in Katsina, even though the states are in the same zone with the same topography.
What it costs in Kano, Kebbi, Jigawa, Sokoto
Comparatively, the Kebbi Government awarded contracts worth N1.46 billion for the construction of 108 kilometres stretch of roads in Jega and Bagudo Local Government areas of the state. The roads are Dan-Warai – Geferu road-Inwala – Dumbegu road and rehabilitation of Kaoje -Illo road in Jega and Bagudo Local Government areas of the state.
A breakdown of the money shows that each kilometre would cost the government about N13.5 million.
In Sokoto, a contract for the construction of the 18km Goronyo main road-Illela-Gadon Mata road in Goronyo LGA was awarded at the cost of N290 million. A breakdown of the sum shows that each kilometer would cost the government about N16.1 million.
The cost of dualising a kilometre of road in Kano State, using the dualisation of 5km roads in Ungogo and Warawa Local Government Areas, awarded at the cost of N1.4 billion and N1.2 billion respectively, is N280 million and N240 million.
In Jigawa State, the 26.7km road from Taura to Garki was constructed by the state government at the cost of N2.2 billion, making it N82.3 million per kilometre, while the 39.1km Garki Danzomo to Kwanar Medu road was constructed at N3.3 billion, making it N84.3 million per kilometre.
This newspaper was unable to obtain breakdown of funds allocated to individual road projects in Kaduna and Zamfara states.
A kilometre should cost between N33 to N38m – Expert
A civil engineer in Sokoto State, who preferred anonymity, said even though the cost of the Jibiyar Maje to Maradi road project was high, it was wrong to assume that constructing roads in the northern part of the country was very cheap.
He explained that even though it is in the savannah, there is need for very high piling to guard against erosion as there is limited vegetative cover for the soil, unlike in the other parts of the country.
According to him, the cost for constructing a kilometre of road in the region should range between N33 million to N38 million.
Why Katsina’s roads are expensive – Masari’s aide
Following public outcry, Special Assistant to Governor Aminu Bello Masari on new media, Mr. Abdulhadi Ahmad, had defended the decision in a post written on his Facebook page in Hausa Language, saying “due to the nature of the place and the vehicles expected to be plying the road, mashed gravel stones and not steamy sand will be used in the construction. There is also a stream to be taken care of by constructing a 60 meters bridge and several hydraulic drainages.”
He further stated that the road is an international road being constructed at the instance of the government of Niger Republic, which had sent an estimated bill of N1.2 billion but the bill was later scaled down. He said the road will enhance the economy of the people and ease transportation issues and that the construction of the road will be based on federal government standards which will be Dunlop asphalt.
