The proposed N4.5 billion underpass and flyover being constructed at the famous Dangi roundabout in Kano metropolis is the third to be constructed by Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje since he assumed office on May 29, 2015.
The government had constructed two underpass and flyovers at Panshekara-Madobi junction road and Kofar Ruwa-Bukavu Barracks junction road in its efforts to ease the flow of traffic in the emerging mega city.
But the Dangi flyover appears to be the most discussed among all the three projects.
The Dangi underpass and flyover project was approved at the 111th State Executive Council Meeting with a view to curtailing chaotic traffic situation in the state. The project consists of an underpass at a total cost of N3 billion for which the sum of N150 million has been set aside in the 2018 budget and a flyover that is estimated at N1.44 billion.
While some indigenes have commended the state government for the project, others considered it a misplaced priority; yet some were concerned about its cost and others have lamented its location.
Hajiya Binta Maiwaina, a resident of Gyadi-Gyadi quarters, said, “I can tell you that out of 100 only about 10 per cent are in support of this project. The remaining 90 per cent would rather have the money spent on other things that are more important than this one.
“For instance, we heard that the residents of Rimin Kebe of Brigade area have been calling on government to construct roads for them, why wouldn’t the government go and do it for them? Many other communities in the rural areas are in need of one social amenities or the other, government should have used the money to provide them rather than investing it here.”
Another respondent simply identified as Maman Paul, said the project should have been executed at NNPC roundabout in Hotoro area, as according to her that was where commuters waste time in traffic jam. She said, “We learnt that previous administrations had wanted to do this project, but when they weighed the advantages against the disadvantages, they decided not to do it.”
Abdul-Jalil Husaini Hali said, “I am very happy and in full support of the project. It will dignify and beautify the metropolis. The value of our land and landed properties around the area will go up as a result of this development.
“Although, I heard some people saying the money should have been spent elsewhere, I prefer it being spent here because if you look around Gyadi-Gyadi area, apart from the Court Road constructed by Kwankwaso administration, there is no any major project that we have benefitted in recent years.”
Another respondent, Yakubu Lister Dangi said, “We are happy because it is a development for the area. But the fact is that there are other things that in terms of preference are by far more important than this project. For example, the traffic jam at IBB road close to Kantin Kwari Market is more than what you see here. So, government should have done something there instead of doing it here. Here you don’t spend up to 10 minutes in traffic jam, but at IBB road, sometimes you spend 20-30 minutes.”
Another resident of the area Auwalu Kiskara said, “Concerning this underpass, we have nothing to say to this government rather than to pray that May Allah reward them abundantly because in the developed world, the era of wasting time in traffic has gone and that is what we want to see happening in our country,” he said.
“Sometimes you will see a patient that is in a critical condition being rushed to hospital, but because of the traffic jam, his relatives will waste much time. But when you have this underpass and flyover bridges, you don’t waste time, everyone passes without delay,” he said.
On whether the money will be utilized better on other projects, Kiskara said, “There will always be some places that are in need of one thing or the other. So, it is gradually that those places will get what they want. It cannot be done all at once. It is our time now and their time will come.”
Sanusi Bello said the state government should have taken into cognizance the time and the economic situation.
“Government should have done something to ameliorate the suffering of people, such as supplying drugs to hospitals, reducing taxes and look into the welfare of workers,” he said.
A former governorship candidate and a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kano State, Engr Basheer Ishaq Basheer, described the project as misplacement of priorities. Basheer made his position about the project known at the Kano Youth Summit on Peace Advocacy and Development organised by Hamisu Magaji Foundation recently.
He said, “For three consecutive years, Kano State government has been earmarking 11, 12 and 13 per cent of its budget to education while the health sector got six, seven and eight per cent respectively. But infrastructure took the lion share of 45 to 55 per cent of these budgets. This is wrong because education and health are critical to the development of any society followed by agriculture and commerce.
“You are building a flyover bridge at Dangi roundabout while primary school buildings are crumbling and pupils do not have uniforms and books. In the area of health, patients are dying at the teaching hospital in the state and other hospitals due to kidney failure because they cannot afford the high cost of dialysis. Women are battling breast cancer and nothing is being done to alleviate their suffering. This is wrong,” Basheer concluded.
However, an amalgamation of road users under the auspice of Friends of Road Initiative in a letter of appreciation to the governor, signed by its Chairman, Alhaji Nasidi Abdullahi Danlami commended Governor Ganduje for the project.
Commenting on the project, the state Commissioner for Information, Malam Muhammad Garba said critics of the project were individuals determined to discredit the project through unsubstantiated comments for their selfish goals.
Garba said, “It is unfortunate that some disgruntled elements in our midst who are serving the interest of a political cult in the state, are hell-bent on creating confusion by accusing the government of executing the gigantic project outside budgetary allocation.
“The critics of the project are ignorant of how government operates. They ought to have found out how the government intends to execute the project and by seeking to reduce carbon emission and minimize road accidents among other benefits.
“Contrary to Magaji’s false claim that the project was not captured in the 2018 budget, we make bold to give a breakdown on how fund made for that project is going to be sourced,” he said.
He said already, the state Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport had requested from the Ministry of Planning and Budget an Authority to Incur Expenditure (AIE) for the balance of the total contract sum for the construction of the underpass, while the contract sum for construction of the flyover, which was captured in a supplementary budget was in the process of being sent to the state House of Assembly for approval.
On the socio-economic benefits of the project, the commissioner said, “There is no way you can make a mega city without good road. Good roads are among the facilities that will attract investors to the state.”
