In this report, MSUE AZA, who visited Gonin Gora area, observed that relief is coming to the community as government has moved its construction machinery to resuscitate this suburb located close to Abuja Junction in Kaduna city. The locals in the area narrate ordeals of their years of sufferings.
The Gonin-Gora, a Kaduna slum community has been abandoned for decades leaving residents to fend for themselves. Their calls for development to previous governments fell on the deaf ears hence, due to deplorable state of infrastructures in the area, residents plied local wood bridge for years.
Indeed, this fast growing and abandoned community in Chikun local government area within Kaduna town, is also a fast expanding suburb but residents of the area seem to have age long sufferings on their faces.
Key infrastructure in the area like roads and bridges are in deplorable state, hardly one use his or her car for two years without the vehicle been broken down.
During rainy seasons, residents still ply the muddy roads. Some parts of Gonin Gora,residents jointly contributed money to patch the streets for easy movement. They constructed local wood bridge as non-available to link some other parts of the area.
Although,the late governor Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa, awarded roads and bridge contract to open the socio-economic activities of the area seven years ago but the contractors disappeared with almost 80% of the project funds when the governor was no more. After the demised of the Governor, their hope dashed as nobody remembered them again.
However, the administration of Governor Nasir el-Rufai,in his determination to open up communities in the state, re-awarded the local bridge and roads project to resuscitate Goni Gora, and also collected the public funds from the hands of the flying contractors, to the treasury.
It observed that, Gonin Gora underdevelopment jinx has been broken as contractors were mobilized to sites fixing drainages to commence full construction.
The abandoned uncompleted link bridge in the area is undergoing integrity test to ascertain its status to avoid future accidents and collapse.
Speaking with LEADERSHIPSunday in Gonin-Gora community, MrsNgoziEze, who owns a hair dressing saloon in the area said the residents have suffered too long.
“We have suffered in this community for too long, we don’t have roads because what we have is not roads but village paths to farms. I spent over ten years here that is to tell you how I suffered in this area. We have been neglected and abandoned by the previous government.
“Thank God, we have started seeing construction in this area too like other places. We pray this will help us in the coming rainy season. This is no come area when rain starts but we have been battling with it for years” she said.
Another resident, Abraham Likita who rained invectives on politicians for allegedly abandoning thelate governor Patrick IbrahimYakowa’s projects in the area after his death, commended the present government for remembering the people of the area in his roads project drive.
“Some of us cursed all the politicians who abandoned this area after getting our votes. The late governor had good intentions for this area but after he died the first road and bridge project in this community was abandoned. We didn’t see them again,until 2015 elections but what happened to them?
“They all lost out because of their wickedness to the electorates. We pray for the present government to continue with the work they started in this area. Sometimes, I keep asking whether we are still part of Kaduna State. But thank God, our prayers have been answered”
A civil servant,Mr Richard Audu,said the roads situation in the area has forced him to relocate to Barnawa stressing “I left Gonin Gora because the area has no roads. It is pathetic situation for people still living in the area.
“Some have no choice because they built the houses by themselves and they are not paying the rent. They can afford to manage the condition. I can go back if the government finish the roads project there because the rents are affordable for tenants”
Speaking in a similar manner, one Innocent Danjuma, explained how his new three cars broke down in less than two years of purchased.
“I purchased three new cars almost the same interval but all broke down in less than two years. After one month of purchased I started experiencing mechanical faults every day. As I’m talking to you now all are in my compound for repair. How can I continue repairing cars when my family has not eaten? Bad roads have affected Gonin Gora community.
“Almost, all car owners do go to mechanic for repair every day or on weekly basis. The roads in this area are the worst. We thank government for embarking on roads project in the area. This is a beautiful community without roads. This area is one of the fastest expanding town of its own within Kaduna city” he decried.
Mr Sunday Gwari, one of the residents plying the local wood bridge said God should continue to bless the government for coming to the aid of the area noting that “we have forgotten that government existed in the past in Kaduna State because they abandoned us and nothing good comes here.
“Now that the present government has started work in Gonin Gora, we ask God to bless the governor and give him strength and good health to continue to help us. We have never seen suffering like this, noroads, no bridges. We are in a city but see the local wood bridge we climb every day. It’s very unfortunate. I heard that a small child drowned here during rainy season last year”.
Hassan Usman is the Kaduna state commissioner for Works, Housing and Transport.
Speaking during one of the inspection tours of road projects in the area, Usman said the current administration of Governor Nasiru Ahmed el-Rufai determined to give Gonin Gora community a new face just like other suburbs in Kaduna.
Usman, said the present administration in the state under Governor Nasir el-Rufai, has mapped out strategies to transform the state to greater height saying the era of non-performance has gone completely.
The commissioner however, called on the people to live in peace with one another irrespective of tribe and religion saying without peaceful coexistence no meaning development will take place.
Usman, explained that the main abandoned Gonin Gora road bridge was inherited with debts but was re-awarded in 2016.
“The contractor was mobilise with money by the previous administration but left without doing the job. We came and terminated the project and re-awarded the project last year. We will conduct integrity test on the abandoned uncompleted bridge to ascertain its safety because we don’t want accident in the future, if the bridge is not okay we will demolish it and build a new bridge” he said.
All things being equal, in few weeks ahead, the residents of Gonin-Gora community who are obviously in for a good time as the state government seem to have focused its attention in addressing some of their development challenges, may well heave a sight of relief.