Residents as well as business people in GRA, Zaria, have been speaking on the changes they see in the area, pointing out that the activities of the Kaduna State Government in terms of road construction as well as other allied matters is one that they gladly applaud. In the course of interview with our reporter, people in the area said there is a clear difference between what was once the degraded state of roads and what the state government has done under its Urban Renewal Programme.
Commenting on the state of roads in GRA, particularly IBB Road, Samuel Ike is of the view that the road construction work embarked upon by the state government has given the neighbourhood a facelift and added beauty to it. According to Ike, “The state of this road before was so bad that people were complaining. But now it has changed. Even as of yesterday, they added streetlight which added more beauty to the road. Even me, I am happy because people can come and park their cars and patronise businesses in the area. The road is okay, and it has solid gutter where water can pass because any road without gutter will not last. But they did this one with a perfect gutter so it is a good one.”
Ike has a message for the government as well, stating that, “I want to say to the government that the governor (Malam Nasir El-Rufai) has tried, and I can say kudos to him, because no governor has ever worked like this before, not since the time of Governor Makarfi. But this is good. Some say he demolishes, but it is still part of development. When you don’t demolish it cannot work, but when you demolish it allows for new construction. It is part of the development so the governor is really trying.”
Ms Joy in her response said, “No one will say he doesn’t like good things. I like good things, this road is good because there is no gallop, and there is drainage. Motorists, even people who work with legs will pass easily. So this IBB road is good. We appreciate the doer. There are other places in this Zaria where the governor has tried, but I appreciate what the governor has done in this place where I stay.”
On her part, Ms Aisha who did not want to be recorded simply said, “The road is good.”
Aliyu Yahaya, while making his view known about the state of road in GRA, particularly Queen Elizabeth Road said, “This road before was bad. Now it is good, it is okay and we thank God. There is now development because before the road was not good and we didn’t even have culverts and these drainages that you can see here. The road used to be flooded when it rained. But now there is culvert and drainage.”
Yahaya however called the attention of the government to a section of the Queen Elizabeth Road which he said might still be susceptible to flooding and subsequently might be damaged if adjustment was not made quickly.
According to Yahaya, “close to the railway line along Queen Elizabeth road (not far from the premises of GTB) there is culvert, but the drainage does not flow downward (under the railway line), so when it rains water gathers on this side of the railway line and it covers the road. This can easily destroy the new road that the government has constructed. As such I call on the government to come and remedy this gap. But honestly the road is good and the government has done a good job.”
