Sokoto State Governor, Ahmed Aliyu, has directed the contractor handling the rehabilitation of the Romo (Margai) Bridge and the construction of two six-cell box culverts with retaining walls to immediately return to site or face termination of the contract.
The directive was issued during an inspection visit to the project location in Kebbe Local Government Area, where the Governor expressed dissatisfaction with the pace of work despite acknowledging the standard of construction already achieved. He stressed that the project must proceed without further delay, warning that the state government would not tolerate abandonment.
Governor Aliyu said mobilisation funds had already been released, insisting there was no justification for inactivity. He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to enforcing contractual terms and ensuring that all projects awarded across the state meet approved specifications. The Governor also reiterated support for indigenous contractors, while maintaining that labour opportunities must benefit host communities.
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Providing further details, the Deputy Governor, Idris Muhammed Gobir, who supervises the Ministry of Works, disclosed that the contract was awarded in August 2024 at a cost exceeding ₦2.9 billion with a six-month completion timeline. He said half of the mobilisation fee had been paid, but only about 50 percent of the project had been delivered before work stalled.
Gobir also revealed that the state government has approved additional infrastructure projects, including the reconstruction of Bridge Two and its approaches along the Tambuwal–Kebbe Road, as well as the rehabilitation and asphalt overlay of the Margai–Kebbe Town Road, incorporating stone pitching and surface dressing.
The inspection tour was attended by the Speaker of the Sokoto State House of Assembly, Tukur Bala Bodinga; the Deputy Speaker, Kabir Ibrahim Kware, alongside lawmakers, commissioners, advisers, and other senior government officials.
