Kayarda: Kano village cut off by abandoned bridge project

What remains of the deplorable road that leads travellers from Takai town in Takai Local Government Area of Kano State to Kayarda, a remote community in the same LGA ends at a point in Fajewa village, cutting off the next stream of villages including Kayarda.

Measuring about 120km away from metropolitan Kano, Kayarda village is the last but one village on a string of villages towards the borders of Kano with Bauchi State. It neighbours other villages such as Hatsai, Gidan Malam and Birnin Bako.

Traveling on the 120km deplorable road, anyone visiting Kayarda would have to pass through Maciyawa, Jangargari and Fajewa from Takai town. Along this long stretch of villages, travellers deal with the dilapidated road condition which residents say puts them in a state of anxiety.

In the 2024 approved budget for Kano State, a project for the reconstruction of a bridge to enhance accessibility of Kayarda from Fajewa and Birnin Bako was awarded with the description: “Reconstruction of a collapsed culvert along Takai Fajewa – Kayarda Birnin Bako Road in Takai Local Government Area” at the sum of N181,071,586.11.

However, residents of the community say not much has been done to ameliorate their suffering as the partly constructed road ends at Fajewa. They want the State Government to extend the project to Kayarda so as to prevent loss of lives and properties.

The Lead Coordinator, Southern Takai Development Forum, Saleh Alhaji Mikaila told this reporter that many lives have been lost as a result of the poor state of the road. “Once it starts to rain, nobody can ply this road again,” he said, referring to the flooding experienced along the road due to the uncompleted project. “We can’t quantify the number of deaths that occurred here,” he said.

The lead coordinator explained that while residents have reached out to the government authorities, not much has been done to address what they refer to as the biggest challenge for their community.

“This bridge was under construction five months ago. They came and started, we thought they will complete it within a short period of time but unfortunately, they packed all their equipment and left. We have reached out to the authorities but the outcome is still not positive,” he said.

Also speaking, a farmer and business man in the community, Muhammadu Shawai said many activities are usually suspended during the rainy season. “Every politician in this area knows us. They have visited this place several times without number and promised to repair it but to no avail,” he said.

According to the farmer: “We don’t know what happened with the contractors that started the work. They just left. We don’t know if they are playing politics with us but we appeal to all those responsible to fix the road.”

He said several patients have suffered untold hardship in an attempt to reach a hospital across the bridge while those with businesses in other communities have no choice but to suspend their activities during the rainy season.

“If we are to follow other alternative routes, it will cost us a lot more. For Instance, if going through the normal route will cost us N5,000 from here to reach our destination, the alternative route will cost about N15,000,” he explained.

Sharing a personal experience, another resident who simply identified himself as Makama explained that he almost lost his life while crossing the abandoned bridge that connects the village to the main road after a heavy downpour that caused flooding.

“Last year I and others were conveying patients to the hospital and in the process of passing through this place, the cart tumbled and, in the process, we lost our balance. We narrowly escaped death. We were not even concerned about the illness; our focus was on how to survive the flooding first. It was really a tragic experience that I always pray never to experience again in my life,” he said.

On his part, an elder, Namadi Datti said it was unfair of the contractor to abandon the project and the government not to recall the contractor saying the result of such action has led to untold hardship on the villagers.

“We were told that the road was awarded but we are yet to see that. From Takai to Birnin Bako to Fagewa the work started but was not completed. We are in serious distress. This road is an old road but it has not been given any attention and it is strategic because it leads to many towns and villages,” he said.

A female resident of the community, Larai Abdullahi said the poor state of the road has over time become a hindrance to access to healthcare. She said the situation becomes more complicated during the rainy season when parents and relatives are unable to carry patients across.

“If our children become ill, we have no option other than to leave them at home or suffer on the road if we insist on taking them to the hospital in Takai town,” she said.

However, a community member who asked not to be named explained that the alleged neglect of Kayarda and other villages around the area could be linked to the non-representation of the community in governments.

He said: “Out of the 10 wards under Takai LGA only three enjoy more attention probably because over the years, the member house of representatives, member House of Assembly and even local Gov’t Chairman usually hail from either Takai town or Kachako.”

This reporter reached out to the Interim Caretaker Committee Chairmen of Takai Local Government Area, Ibrahim Abdulhadi Falali who said they were trying their best to address the issues around the road project.

Falali explained that they were equally disturbed as to why it is taking long for the road project to be realized. “This issue has been one of the things we plan to pursue. The contractor has come here and they started. We didn’t know they stopped. We are currently in the process of finding out why and we believe they will soon resume,” he said.