Member representing Burra Constituency Hon. Ibrahim Tanko Burra moved a motion calling on Bauchi State Government to carryout emergency repairs, rehabilitate and upgrade Ningi-Burra road.
Leading a debate on the motion, Hon. Ibrahim Tanko explained that Ningi-Burra road is one of the longest and important State owned roads in Bauchi State which covers about 120 kilometers constructed by the Administration of Mallam Isah Yuguda after many years of nightmares by travellers from and to Burra, who had to pass through about 10 Local Governments in Kano and Jigawa States before reaching their Local Government Headquarters, Ningi and State Capital, Bauchi.
He added that despite the very important disposition of Ningi-Burra road, the road is in critical condition and at the verge of collapse any moment from now.
According to him, the road is currently under serious threat by erosion, flooding and desertification in which many bridges and culverts have either collapsed, partly washed away or at the verge of collapsing and surfaces and asphalt on the road are washed away with many potholes at almost every inch of the road.
"Mr. Speaker, my Honourable Colleagues, people of Burra are getting it difficult to use this road especially during rainy season. Just last year, some bridges collapsed which led to unlinking Burra to other parts of the State. At that time we were taken to olden dark days of passing through Kano and Jigawa States before reaching our Local Government Headquarters and other parts of the State.
"At this juncture I will extend my profound gratitude to the Executive Governor of Bauchi State His Excellency Senator Bala Abdulkadir Muhammad Kauran Bauchi for his prompt action in which the bridges were repaired and people resumed on their usual activities on the road.
Mr. Speaker, my Honourable Colleagues, there are many other bridges and culverts that can collapse whenever there is heavy rainfall. There is the serious need for the Government to avert the looming danger approaching Ningi-Burra road. Looking at the strategic socioeconomic importance of Ningi-Burra road there is the need for quick action so that it will collapse and subsequently disconnect us from the State.
"It's a well known fact that Burra is an agrarian area where large scale farming take place all year round. The road immensely contributed in making it easy for farmers to transport their farm produce to all parts of the Country, in some cases in even to foreign countries. The road has also helped in boosting commercial activities in Burra Constituency. This is because the people of Burra are very enterprising and our closeness to Kano has made Burra one of the economic hub of the State and centre of inter-state markets.
"Ningi-Burra road now serve as the alternative route to Kano from Bauchi. Whenever there is problem on the Bauchi -Kano road, this road serve as the alternative. Many commuters even see it as the fastest road to Kano from Bauchi, save for the bad condition of the road." The Member submitted.
Hon. Ibrahim Tanko Burra therefore requested the Honourable House to request the Executive Arm to embark on emergency repair of all bridges and culverts at the verge of collapse on the road, ask the Executive Arm to carryout erosion control on the depth and width of the road and request the State Government, as part of infrastructural revolution agenda of His excellency Senator Bala Abdulkadir Muhammad Kauran Bauchi, to embark on total rehabilitation and upgrade of Ningi-Burra with a standard asphalt.
In his remarks, the Speaker commended Hon. Ibrahim Tanko Burra for being the first Member move a motion about his people in the 10th Assembly of Bauchi State.
He observed that with calibre of Members like Hon. Ibrahim Tanko in the Assembly, the people of the State will get a lot of dividends of democracy.
Contributing, Hon. Barr. Habibu Umar (Kirfi Constituency) congratulated Hon. Ibrahim Tanko for the very important motion.
He narrated an experience he had when he travelled to Burra for an issue in which it took him the whole day before he reached to Burrs and return to Bauchi because of the condition of the road.
Hon. Habibu Umar testified that Burra is an agrarian area where large farming take place round the year, therefore requested for the reconstruction of the road.
Hon. Dr. Nasiru Ahmed Ala (Chinade/Madara Constituency) said that the motion is timely looking at importance of road.
He explained that though he never visited Burra in his life, but used to receive reports about difficulties in travelling to Burra.
"Mr Speaker when I was Lecturer in the College of Education Azare, whenever we post supervisors to visit our teaching practice students, they will either protest or request for change of location.
"I later found that it was the road to Burrs that is the problem. Burra is a big area with big population and resources, I therefore request the road should be upgraded, there is security problem in the Area, it will also go in line with tackling security problems affecting the Area." He said.
Minority Leader Hon. Bala Abdu Rishi (Lame Constituency) said that Burra Constituency is his closest neighbour Constituency, therefore the motion is not only important but affects his Constituency.
He added that the Ningi-Burra road also link his Constituency to Kano State because his Constituents use the road to travel to Kano.
While commending Governor Bala Abdulkadir Muhammad for rehabilitation of Magama-Rishi-Gumau road and construction of new roads from Sabon Garin Tulu to Tulu, hoped that it will be extended from Sabon Garin Tulu to Burra and reconstruction of Ningi-Burra road by the Governor.
Hon. Musa Wakili Nakwada (Bogoro Constituency) congratulated the people of Burra for electing Hon. Ibrahim Tanko as their representative, saying it's surprising that as a first termer but what matters to him is the plight of his people.
According to Hon. Nakwada he had lived in Burra when he was forestry officer and he can testify that Burra is an Area with a lot of natural and human resources but the major problem of Burra is road.
He therefore submitted that all the Honourable Members support the reconstruction of Ningi-Burra road.
Hon. Sa'idu Suleiman Darazo (Darazo Constituency) said that the motion is very important because he recently travelled to Burra and can testify that Ningi-Burra road need urgent rehabilitation.
He used the opportunity to request the Government to also consider Darazo Gabchiyari road whose construction started four years back but after the change of Government the worked had stopped and the worked done is washed away.
According to him, the people of Gabchiyari have to pass through Gombe State before coming to Darazo, therefore called on the Government to rehabilitate the Ningi-Burra road and resume construction of Darazo-Gabchiyari road.
Hon. Auwal Hassan (Shira Constituency) commended the Member for the motion which he described as very important.
He however suggested that, part of the prayers in the motion should include requesting the State Government to ask relevant MDA to conduct general assessment of the road so that the work can be budgeted and implemented.
Deputy Speaker Hon. Jamilu Umaru Dahiru (Bauchi Central Constituency) advised that the member representing Darazo Constituency should come with an independent motion about the Darazo Gabchiyari road like the motion on Ningi-Burra road so that it will get more attention.
After the contributions, the Honourable House unanimously adopted the motion.