From Haruna Usman – Birnin Kebbi
Kebbi State Government has said that it has entered into partnership with the World Bank to build modern markets and rural roads.
The State Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Abdullahi Maigari, who disclosed this to newsmen in Birnin Kebbi, stated that, the construction work which are under Kebbi State Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (Kebbi RAMP) is expected to last six years.
The Commissioner, stated that,the areas where the markets would be cited includes; Gunki in Argungu Local Government, Bunza in Bunza LG, Zuru in Zuru LG, Yauri in Yauri LG, Samanaji in Koko-Bese LG and Dodoru in Gwandu LG.
According to him, “this is to inform our people that the implementation of Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Programme (RAMP) has now come to full swing in Kebbi State.
“This is achieved in the state largely due to the commitment and dogedness of His Excellency, the Governor of Kebbi State, Sen. Abubakar Atiku Bagudu.”
He assured that Kebbi secured the programme following the efforts of the governor to ensure that, the agricultural transformation of the state through the provision of access roads for easy transportation of goods and services and well constructed markets for agricultural business transaction.
He said; “the state government had fulfilled all conditions for the implementation of the programme in Kebbi State. To this effect, the rehabilitation and improvement of 225 kilometers of rural roads distributed across the state will be done as first phase and within two years of commencement of this programme.
“This will be from the 450 kilometers of rural roads already earmarked,” he noted.
He said the roads would be rehabilitated as an intervention, drainages, stressed that, there would also be other roads construction work that would take place in the state consisting of routine maintenance of about 700 kilometers cutting across all the 21 Local Government Areas of the state.
“These works, will cover reconstruction and construction of new culverts for connectivity to farmlands and markets, rehabilitation of 200 kilometers of some selected roads across the state and upgrade of 125 kilometers of road from laterite road to asphalt road,” he said.
