Jigawa governor fumes over poor quality of ₦10.8 billion project

Governor Umar Namadi of Jigawa State has raised serious concerns over the poor quality of work on the state’s ₦10.8 billion Gully Erosion Control Project, calling for immediate corrections.

During an inspection visit to the project site in Kargo, Dutse, the governor expressed frustration over the use of substandard materials, warning that the construction would not withstand erosion. He questioned how a project designed to last a century could be built so poorly.

“Water will wash this away,” Namadi stated, openly criticizing the project’s consultant and site engineer while demanding urgent improvements.

Although the consultant dismissed the issue as an “error” and claimed that the work had been approved by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), the governor was not convinced.

“Was it the SON that awarded the contract, or the state government?” Namadi asked. “It should be done according to my standards.”

The project, which commenced on November 30, 2024, is designed to construct a seven-kilometer concrete water channel to protect erosion-prone communities—Danmasara, Yalwawa, and Kargo—in the state capital.

Funded under the World Bank-supported Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscape (ACReSAL) program, the contract was awarded to Retercha Company Limited to tackle long-standing environmental challenges affecting farmlands, roads, and residential areas.

With the governor’s strong stance on the project’s quality, all eyes are now on the contractors to meet the required standards before further progress is made.