Anniversary: Engineer Sule performs ground breaking ceremonies for 25km feeder road, neighbourhood market
Nasarawa State Governor, Engineer Abdulahi Sule has performed the ground breaking ceremonies for the construction of the 25km Mararraba-Udege feeder road, as well as the Keffi Square/Neighbourhood Market, valued at N36bn and Ni.6bn respectively.
Engineer Sule performed the flagging off ceremonies on Monday, as part of activities marking his one year in office.
Performing the ground breaking ceremony for the feeder road in Mararraba Udege, in Nasarawa Local Government Area, the Governor said with the area endowed with lots of minerals, vast potentials for agriculture, as well as tourism potentials, the project is expected to provide enabling environment for harnessing these endowments, for socio-economic benefit of the communities along this axis, the state and indeed Nigeria as a whole.
Engineer Sule recalled that his administration made elaborate provision in the 2020 budget for the construction of a number of roads across the state, in line with the government’s policy of creating interconnectivity in rural communities for economic activities and empowerment of the people.
He pointed out that the Mararraba-Udege 25 km stretch, is the second major project to be undertaken by the present administration, with the other one being the 15km Sisin Baki-Farin Ruwa road awarded last year.
According to the Governor, the Mararraba-Udege road project, awarded to the Messrs Tonghyi Hroup Limited, a Chinese firm, at a total cost of N3.6bn, is expected to be completed within a period of 12 months.
The road which runs for a 25km stretch with a one hour port to Odu, has the following features: “Pipe and box culvert, drainage channels, bridge , double coat 7.3m surface dressed pavement and single coat 1.5m surface dressed shoulders on both sides.”
Performing similar ceremony at the site for the construction of the Keffi Square/Neighbourhood Market, at the location of the Old Keffi market, in Keffi Local Government Area, Engineer Sule, described the day as special for not only fulfilling a campaign promise to the people but making a dream come true.
The Governor pointed out that the project was aimed at upgrading the market for enhanced economic activities.
“It’s against this background therefore, that we conceived the idea of developing the Keffi market into a neighbourhood market and also a square, so that we can release the palace of our royal father as venue for most events,” he stated.
Engineer Sule disclosed that the Keffi Neighbourhood market is designed to be a model market with modern facilities and infrastructure and that when completed, will comprise of 561 locked-up retail and wholesale shops, open traditional shops and covered walkways.
He added that the project is geared towards transforming the economy of the state, which will enhance the internal revenue generation of the state and Keffi Local Government Area.
The Governor used the opportunity of the ceremonies to appeal to the people to uphold all established protocols aimed at curbing further spread of the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic.
In their separate remarks, former governor of the state, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, Chairmen of Nasarawa and Keffi Local Government Areas, showed appreciation to the Governor, for fulfilling his campaign promises.