‘Our children won't trek hundreds of kilometres to access education’

By Nasir Shuaibu

The Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed has said that he would not allow children to trek hundreds of kilometres to school as was the experience in the past.

The governor said the road projects being executed by his administration are to open up more inter-community business linkages and create easy access for farmers to transport their produce to markets.

Mohammed made the assertion on Tuesday in Bauchi during the official flag-off of newly constructed rural roads across four local government areas. Noted that before now his contemporaries trek over 100 Kilometers before they could access education.

He explained that the project is being implemented in collaboration with the World Bank and the Islamic Development Bank under the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP).

"As the son of a village head and headmaster in my area, I had to trek 100 kilometers from Diddima to Duguri just to acquire Western education or to seek medical treatment.

“We are building roads in communities that have long been neglected. As a government, we believe in justice, fairness and equity; that is why we are allocating resources to every community as we promised during my campaign.

“Today, we are also going to build markets in Gadar Maiwa and Mararraban Liman Katagum because these markets have become major hubs for cattle and grains. This will help boost our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and improve revenue generation,” he said.

He further explained that the 108.93 kilometres of rural roads under construction in six local government areas include: 4.91km Gadar Maiwa–Zakara, 25km Dagu–Ningi, 8.86km Nabardo–Gadan Doka–Jama’a, 36.65km Dott–Dado–Baraza, 6.71km Mararraban Dajin–Dajin, and 26.8km Mararraban Liman Katagum–Polchi–Katsinawa.

In his remarks, the Chairman of Bauchi Local Government, Alhaji Mahmood Baba Maji, commended the governor on behalf of the people for fulfilling his campaign promises.

Also speaking, the Emir of Bauchi, Dr. Rilwanu Sulaiman Adamu, applauded Governor Mohammed for embarking on what he described as a gigantic project that will have direct impact on the lives of the common man.