Katsina State Governor Malam Dikko Umaru Radda has officially launched the construction of a second lane to dualise the Mashi township road, located along the Katsina-Daura road in the Mashi local government area.
The project involves a 3-kilometre road development with a contract value of N5.4 billion and is expected to be completed within six months.
Governor Radda stated that once finished, the road will help ease traffic congestion, improve market access, reduce transportation costs, and create a more favourable environment for businesses to thrive in Mashi town.
“Mashi town occupies an important place in the commercial life of Katsina State, being home to one of the largest and busiest markets which attracts farmers and transporters as well as traders and their customers from across Katsina and neighbouring states.
“The market serves as a major centre of exchange of agricultural, livestock and industrial commodities, making it a vital driver of economic development in the region. However, the growing volume of commercial activities has given rise to traffic congestion in the town, which necessitates the expansion of the township road”, he said.
The governor explained that besides dualization, the project also entails the construction of drainage and installation of solar-powered street lights on both lanes of the road.
In his speech, the state Commissioner of Works, Alhaji Sani Magaji, said the project is part of the state government’s Urban Renewal program which entails the provision of state-of-the-art infrastructure to enhance the quality of life in urban centres across the state.
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“Mashi is a major commercial centre where thousands of farmers, traders, and transporters converge to carry outa business and social activities. The road will therefore decongest traffic, improve access to market, reduce travel time, enhance road safety and create an enabling environment for businesses and industries to flourish.
“It is a project whose benefits will also extend far beyond Mashi, to positively impact neighbouring communities and the economy of Katsina State as a whole”, the commissioner said, urging the contracting firm to execute the project to specification.
Malam Abubakar, a former councillor of the Local Government, said what they need is drainage around Mashi town, arguing it’s more important to them than the road.
“What we need long ago is drainage around Mashi town. The river which crosses the town needs to be diverted. The lives lost are uncountable due to flooding, but neither the state government nor our assembly representatives are doing anything about the situation.”
The spokesperson of the Mashi residents went on to say that they now resolve to vote for whoever promises to build the drainage around the town.
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