By Tukur Muntari
Communities living along Funtua- Malumfashi-Kankara- Dutsinma–Katsina roads have expressed serious concerns over the deplorable condition of the roads.
A resident of the area Ismail Kankara told our reporter on Sunday in Yargoje village, Kankara Local government area of the state that the roads have become death traps for both motorists and commuters plying the roads.
“These roads, Malumfashi-Funtua and Malumfashi-Kankara roads and Dayi- Gwarzo are the worst roads in the entire Katsina State.
“The deplorable condition of these roads especially Malumfashi-Funtua and Malumfashi-Kankara has forced many commercial vehicle drivers to stop plying the roads.
“Most motorists going to Kano from Funtua prefer to go to Zaria in Kaduna State and follow the dual carriageway because it’s safer for them,” Kankara said.
He noted that the inability of the authorities concerned to rehabilitate the roads has worsened the current insecurity challenges bedeviling the area as hardly a day passes without a report on bandits attacking residents of the area.
“Hardly a day passes without bandits attacking villages in the area because the roads are not motorable,” he said.
He blamed the Federal Lawmakers representing the state at the National Assembly as well as the State Government for not making any effort to ensure that the roads are rehabilitated.
“Malumfashi-Kankara road even the state government can rehabilitate the dilapidated portion of the road, but the road is not their concern for now,” he said.
Another resident of the area, Musa Abubakar urged the Federal Lawmakers and the state government to prevail on the Federal Government to rehabilitate the roads.
According to him, the people of the areas have threatened to boycott the 2027 general elections if the roads are not rehabilitated to alleviate the sufferings of the communities living along the roads.
“People in this area are not happy with the situation.They are even threatening to boycott the forthcoming general elections if nothing is done about these roads,” he added.
Another resident of the area, Aminu Abdullahi lamented that the potholes that had earlier been patched along the road, had already gone off thereby causing vehicles breakdown and accidents.
Abdullahi said, “As I am talking to you now the patched potholes carried out by the previous administration had gone off, making it difficult for motorists plying the road to move easily.”
“Residents of these areas are living in perpetual fear due to the terrible state of the roads couple with the insecurity challenges,” he added.
Our correspondent who was in Kankara Local Government area of Katsina State on Sunday, observed that motorists plying the road have to drive “at a snail speed” due to the deteriorating condition of the road to avoid possible breakdown of their vehicles.
Efforts to contact the Federal Controller of Works, Katsina State, Engr. Idris Matinja proved abortive as a staff who was supposed to provide his contact refused to do so.
“You have to come to Katsina if you must speak with the Controller because he can’t speak with you on phone,” the official said and switched off his phone.