Governor Uba Sani has inaugurated the longest road constructed in the last two decades, spanning three local governments and linking more than 76 farming communities in Kaduna.

He said the road, which stretches from Igabi to Kajuru and Chikun LGAs, includes a 130-metre bridge over the River Kaduna that serves several rural communities.

The governor said that the 35-kilometre asphaltic road linking Gadan Gayan through Gwaraji to Kujama Junction would transform mobility, agriculture and rural economies in those communities.

Speaking at the inauguration, Mr Sani described the project as a historic milestone in Kaduna’s infrastructure development, adding that it reflected his administration’s inclusive and people-centred development model.

Mr Sani recalled that when the project began in January 2024, his administration had pledged to deliver a durable, efficient transport corridor.

The governor maintained that through disciplined planning, professional execution, and collective commitment, the promise had been fulfilled.

He explained that the road provides an alternative route that reduces reliance on the often-congested Kaduna metropolis, thereby cutting travel time and transportation costs for the commuters and traders.

“Emergency services will be able to respond faster, schoolchildren will reach their classrooms with greater ease, and families will enjoy improved access to healthcare, markets, and social services,” he said.

The governor also emphasised the road’s agricultural importance, stressing that agriculture remained the leading contributor to Kaduna’s GDP growth.

“By traversing agriculturally productive rural communities across three local government areas, this road directly links farms to markets, aggregation centres, processing facilities, and urban consumption hubs,” Mr Sani said.

The governor also mentioned that it would reduce post-harvest losses and strengthen agricultural value chains. He said that early signs of economic revival were already visible along the corridor, with new filling stations, markets and small businesses emerging.

Mr Sani added, “This is the quiet but powerful multiplier effect of well-planned infrastructure.”

The governor said the project had also addressed long-standing inequities in public Investments, especially in Kajuru LGA, one of the 12 area councils that had not benefited from any road project for more than 12 years.

“This prolonged neglect constrained economic activity, and that reality was unacceptable,” he said.

The governor pledged that his administration was happily “reversing decades of under-investments”. He explained that the inaugurated road was part of a broader programme that included 140 road projects, covering 1,335 kilometres across the state.

Mr Sani said that 66 of the roads his administration initiated had already been completed, while others were at 60 to 75 per cent completion.

(NAN)