Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has said the commencement of the 122-kilometre Kaduna-Birnin Gwari road project demonstrates President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to fulfilling campaign promises made to Nigerians.
Speaking during the flag-off ceremony of the project on Tuesday, the governor recalled that Tinubu, as the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2022, visited Birnin Gwari despite security concerns and pledged to reconstruct the strategic road while restoring peace and stability to the area.
According to Sani, Birnin Gwari was at the time one of the most volatile areas in Kaduna State, grappling with banditry, kidnappings and other security challenges. He noted that Tinubu insisted on visiting the community despite advice against the trip, stressing that a presidential aspirant had a responsibility to engage directly with all parts of the country.
The governor recounted how the late Chief of Army Staff, General Taoreed Lagbaja, then General Officer Commanding One Mechanised Division, provided military escorts for the journey due to the security situation along the route.
Sani said the president made two major promises during the visit: the reconstruction of the Kaduna-Birnin Gwari road and efforts to restore security in the area. He argued that both commitments were now being fulfilled.
He described the road as a critical economic corridor linking parts of the North-West to the South-West and revealed that the Federal Government had approved ₦178 billion for the project.
The governor also highlighted improvements in security, stating that residents and travellers can now move within Birnin Gwari and travel from Kaduna without requiring police escorts, a situation he said was unimaginable a few years ago.
He added that the Kaduna State Government was simultaneously constructing 36 kilometres of roads connecting 72 farming communities within Birnin Gwari Local Government Area, describing the projects as dividends of peace and development.
Minister of Works Dave Umahi also praised President Tinubu and Governor Sani, describing both leaders as committed to infrastructure development and national unity. He commended the governor’s efforts in promoting peace and delivering projects across Kaduna State.
The road project forms part of ongoing federal infrastructure investments aimed at improving connectivity, boosting economic activities and enhancing security across strategic corridors in northern Nigeria.
