The President of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, Akinteye Babatunde Afeez, has commended the Kaduna State Government for its road infrastructure projects across the state.
Mr Afeez gave the commendation during an inspection of some government projects in Kaduna, including the Kabala Costain-Aliyu Makama Link Road.
He said the NANS leadership was in Kaduna for an extraordinary Senate meeting and used the opportunity to inspect some of the projects being executed by the state government.
The NANS delegation was led on the inspection by the Commissioner for Information and Culture, Ahmed Maiyaki; Commissioner for Health, Umma K. Ahmed; Managing Director of the Kaduna State Roads Agency, KADRA, Abdullahi Baba Ahmed; and Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Public Affairs, Mock Samuel Kure.
Also on the tour were the Special Adviser to the Governor on Student Affairs, Yusuf Lawal, and the Special Adviser on Infrastructure, Bello Hayatu.
Mr Afeez described the Kabala Costain-Aliyu Makama Link Road as an important link between northern and southern parts of Kaduna, saying it would provide an alternative route for residents.
He said the road would improve access to farms, schools and healthcare facilities, while easing transportation and reducing travel-related challenges.
The NANS president said he was impressed that the road was a new project and expressed hope that it would be completed and handed over soon.
Mr Ahmed said the Kaduna State Government had initiated 116 new road projects covering about 1,400 kilometres across the state.
He said between 80 and 90 per cent of the projects had been completed, while the remaining projects were at various stages of execution.
According to him, the projects were spread across the 23 local government areas of the state.
He said 12 of the local government areas had not benefited from road construction for more than 12 years before the current administration.
“Within three years of assuming office, we have constructed roads across the 23 local government areas,” he said.
Mr Ahmed identified the 35-kilometre Gadan Gayan-Guraji-Kujama Road as one of the flagship projects of the administration.
He said the project included a major bridge measuring about 120 metres across River Kaduna.
The KADRA managing director also said the state government had completed internal road networks at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
He added that the government had constructed and completed an access road to the Federal University of Applied Sciences, Kachia.
Mr Afeez said improved access roads to tertiary institutions would facilitate students’ movement and contribute to safer journeys to campuses.
He also said good road infrastructure would support agriculture by improving access to farms and markets and facilitating the movement of farm produce.
The NANS president urged the state government to sustain its road infrastructure programme and continue responding to the needs of residents.
