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By Correspondent in Minna.
Hassan Baba Etsu, flanked by senior officials during the interactive session.
The Niger State Government has explained the reasons behind the delay in ongoing road projects across the state, assuring that the administration of Governor Mohammed Umar Bago remains committed to timely and quality completion of all projects.
Our correspondent reports that Governor Bago’s administration has recently come under heavy criticism, particularly after his appearance on a national television programme where he claimed that Niger State was free from security threats to investors and not lacking in dividends of democracy.
Critics, including opposition figures, have expressed concern that the governor of prioritized projects that offer little direct benefit to the poor majority. They questioned his decision to construct six flyovers within Minna metropolis alone, describing it as a misplacement of priorities and “wasted money on flyovers leading to nowhere.” Some also alleged that the projects serve the governor’s personal interests rather than the collective good of Nigerlites.
However, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure Development, Hassan Baba Etsu, while speaking with some officials of the ministry in Minna,dismissed such criticisms, insisting that those downplaying the government’s efforts were being “economical with the truth.”
Baba Etsu, a quantity surveyor by profession, attributed the slow pace of work on the state’s 5-kilometre road projects and other urban roads to logistical challenges and natural factors beyond the government’s control.
“The allegations that the state government is owing contractors or that they have abandoned sites over non-payment are false. “The delays are largely due to natural and logistical factors beyond human control,”he said.
The Permanent Secretary also denied claims that residents in some parts of Minna were asked to contribute money for culvert construction to access their homes but promised to investigate the allegations.
He further identified insecurity and persistent rainfall as major factors affecting progress on several road projects. According to him, security concerns in some parts of the state have discouraged expatriate construction workers from accessing project sites, while continuous rainfall has rendered the soil too wet for quality road construction.
“Some contractors have reported that safety concerns forced them to temporarily withdraw their workers until the situation improves,” Baba Etsu explained. “The government understands and has accepted these justifications.”
Despite these challenges, he emphasized that the government maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward contractor laxity and non-performance, stressing that only competent and verified contractors are engaged to ensure quality delivery and value for money.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
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