A Case For Zaria-Pambegua Abandoned Road -By Ibrahim Mustapha Pambegua

Permit me a space in your widely read newspaper to draw the attention of the Honourable Minister of Works to the abandoned rehabilitation of the Zaria–Pambegua road. There is an urgent need to investigate why Proportion Construction Company halted work on the project after reportedly receiving a mobilisation fee of ₦1 billion. To date, the company has only carried out substandard work on less than three kilometres of the road. It will be recalled that the Zaria–Pambegua road project was awarded in 2017 during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari. Unfortunately, the road has since deteriorated into a death trap, claiming the lives of innocent commuters while remaining abandoned with no clear hope of completion.

This critical road links several important towns and farming communities, including Soba, Maigana, Dutsen-Wai, Kubau, and Zuntu. These communities are predominantly agrarian. During harvest periods, farmers face severe difficulties transporting their produce, leading to significant post-harvest losses. In addition, both commercial and private motorists now spend far longer hours on the road, wasting valuable time. A journey that once took less than one hour between Pambegua and Zaria now takes three hours or more. The poor condition of the road has also disrupted economic activities. Due to insecurity and the activities of criminal elements, many traders have abandoned key grain markets in Soba, Maigana, Anchau, and Pambegua. This unfortunate situation has deprived the affected communities of vital economic opportunities.

Considering the strategic importance of this road to the socio-economic development of the region, several appeals have been made to political leaders in Zone One, but these efforts have yielded no tangible results.
We therefore passionately appeal to the Honourable Minister of Works to urgently intervene, investigate the circumstances surrounding the abandoned project, and ensure the prompt completion of the Zaria–Pambegua road for the benefit of the people.

Ibrahim Mustapha Pambegua, Kaduna State.