Confusion over Kano govt’s plan to demolish bridge re-constructed by Jibril

Anxiety is heightening at Gwarzo Local Council of Kano State over government’s purported plan to demolish a bridge recently re-constructed by the Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibril.

Already, the plan has triggered communal anger, as residents of Gwarzo town in Kano North Senatorial District recently staged a protest to register their dissatisfaction on the move.

The Guardian learnt that the bridge was washed away three weeks ago following a torrential rainfall that wreaked havoc in the area.

Following the obstruction of vehicular movement, residents of the community sought the intervention of state government to repair, to no avail.

But succour finally came when Jibril got the brief and ordered a contractor to fix the bridge.

A driver, SuleWanzam, who witnessed the protest on Friday and Saturday, said the protest followed a report that the state government was planning to demolish the repaired bridge to construct a better one.

“The bridge connects to the residence of the deputy governor, Aminu Abdulsalam, which made some of the government officials and members of his New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in the town feel offended by the speedy construction of the bridge by Jibrin, a member of All Progressives Congress (APC).”

Commissioner for Works, Marwan Ahmad, told The Guardian that due process was not followed in the re-construction of the bridge.

He faulted Jibril’s intervention when government was finalising modalities on re-construction of the bridge.

According to the commissioner, Senator Jibril (Kano North) did not seek permission and approval from the state government before proceeding on the work.

He insisted that the senator had no jurisdiction to carry out construction work on the road belonging to the state government.

Although, The Guardian learnt that Gwarzo had issued clearance to the senator to proceed on the repair, the commissioner said the clearance was withheld before the work started.

He did not deny the report that government planned to destroy the bridge, adding that the matter had been handed over to the security agencies for proper guide on government’s next line of action.