Bauchi State Executive Council has approved N100 billion to construct 200 kilometres of roads across the state.

Briefing newsmen after the Executive Council meeting on Wednesday, the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Usman Garba, said the state government had concluded plans to commence the construction and rehabilitation of the 200 kilometres of roads. Garba said Governor Bala Mohammed had approved the kick-off of the projects.

According to him, construction of the 16 strategic roads across the state would gladden the people’s hearts. He said the projects also comprised two flyovers at the busiest areas of Wunti and Central Market to beautify and decongest the city.

On his part, Commissioner for Works and Transportation, Ibrahim Galadima, who highlighted the projects, said they included the construction of 29-kilometre Boi/Gambar/Sara/Lere roads at about N11.3 billion.

Galadima said N20 billion was earmarked for the construction of the two flyovers, adding that the rehabilitation of 29-kilometre Dindima/Yashi/Maina/Maji roads would cost N9.9 billion.

He said the dualisation of the 11-kilometre Kano Road, from Government Secondary School (GSS), Ningi, to Gudduba would cost N10.3 billion, while the dualisation from Emir’s palace, Azare to Satreco roundabout would cost N4.4 billion.

The commissioner further said the governor also approved the rehabilitation of 29-kilometre Adamami/Disina/Jama’are roads at the cost of N6.8 billion and construction of 1.1 kilometreBayara township road at N737 million. According to him, renovation and upgrade of the Emir’s palace in Bauchi/Jama’are/Ningi and Dass will cost N2.2 billion.

MEANWHILE, the House of Assembly has assured that it would pass the Child Rights Bill, codenamed Child Protection Bill, before the end of the year.
The Speaker, Abubakar Suleiman, who gave the assurance at an orientation workshop organised by Plan International Nigeria for members of the Assembly, yesterday, in Abuja, promised to give accelerated deliberation on the bill in the coming weeks.

The Child Rights Law was passed by the Federal Government in 2003 under President Olusegun Obasanjo. All the states in Nigeria have since domesticated the law, except Bauchi.

He said: “I always feel ashamed each time I hear that Bauchi is the only state that is yet to domesticate the Child Protection Act. We are here today for a special assignment aimed at passing a decision to better the lives of our children. I want to tell us that we are committed to these issues, and the delay in not passing the bill has come to an end.”