The Gombe State government has approved N20.4 billion for the expansion and dualisation of 18.5 kilometre road in the state metropolis.

The Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Abubakar Njodi, said this after the state executive council meeting on Monday in Gombe.

He said the project would cover Federal Teaching Hospital Junction along Bauchi Road, passing through the Police Headquarters to the Federal College of Education (Technical) along Ashaka Road.

Mr Njodi said that the contract had been awarded to the TRIACTA Nigeria Limited with a completion period of 12 months.

He said the council also approved the procurement of 2,500 metric tonnes of fertilisers for distribution to farmers at 50 per cent subsidy for the 2024 cropping season.

He stated, “The fertiliser is highly subsidised and the price is pegged at N22, 000 per bag as against N45, 000 market prices. And distribution will be flagged off later in the month to ensure timely delivery to the farmers.’’

The Commissioner for Works, Housing and Transport, Usman Kallamu, said the SEC also approved emergency repair work and construction of culverts on Dukku – Dokoro Road in the Dukku Local Government Area of the state.

He said, “There was a washout and collapses of the existing six-cell box culvert along the road, and the council approved the construction of a two-span bridge in its place at the cost of N1.593 billion, and will be completed in four months.’’

Also, the Commissioner for Higher Education, Mohammed Gadam, said the SEC approved N587.6 million for construction and provision of essential facilities at Lincoln University, Kumo campus, as part of the agreement signed between the state government and the Malaysian University.

According to him, the gesture is in furtherance of the state government’s commitment towards fulfilling its own part of the bargain as signed in the Memorandum of Understanding to fast-track accreditation and commencement of academic activities in the university.

(NAN)