Barau seeks revocation of Kano-Gwarzo-Dayi road contract over poor performance

The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, has written to the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, requesting the revocation of the contract for the Kano–Gwarzo–Dayi road project due to the contractor’s poor performance.

The project involves upgrading the approximately 100-kilometre single-lane Kano–Gwarzo–Dayi road into a dual carriageway to improve transportation and facilitate the movement of agricultural produce from rural communities to markets across neighbouring states.

In a letter sighted by our correspondent on Thursday and personally signed by Barau, the lawmaker expressed serious concern over the performance of CGC Nigeria Limited, the contractor handling the project.

The letter, received at the Ministry of Works headquarters on June 8, 2026, noted that despite billions of naira allocated to the project, progress had remained unsatisfactory.

The letter dated June 4, 2026, read in part, “Given the strategic importance of the Kano–Dayi road to the socio-economic development of Kano, Katsina and Kebbi states, it is deeply concerning that the contractor has failed to make satisfactory progress despite the allocation of N19 billion and N37 billion to the project under the 2025 and 2026 Appropriation Acts, respectively. This persistent lack of progress has resulted in undue hardship for residents, commuters and other road users.”

Barau stressed that the continued delay in completing the project had negatively affected residents, commuters and economic activities along the corridor, and called for urgent action by the Ministry of Works.

The letter added, “Given the strategic importance of the Kano–Dayi road to the socio-economic development of Kano, Katsina and Kebbi states, it is deeply concerning that the contractor has failed to make satisfactory progress despite the allocation of N19 billion and N37 billion to the project under the 2025 and 2026 Appropriation Acts, respectively.

“This persistent lack of progress has resulted in undue hardship for residents, commuters and other road users. In view of the persistent delays and the contractor’s apparent inability to meet expected project milestones, I urge the Ministry to undertake an immediate assessment of its performance and revoke the contract in the interest of the public.”

The Federal Government, on June 11, 2021, flagged off the construction of the dual carriageway from Kano to Dayi town in Katsina State at a cost of N62.7 billion. However, work on the project later stalled.

The Kano–Gwarzo–Dayi road, which was to be reconstructed into a dual carriageway with a total length of about 100 kilometres, was awarded by the Federal Government to ease transportation within the axis and enhance the movement of farm produce from rural areas to various markets across neighbouring states.

Affected communities had, about two years ago, threatened to storm the National Assembly over the failure of the Federal Government under former President Muhammadu Buhari to release funds for the completion of the road.

However, on February 7, 2026, Barau announced that the Federal Government had approved N19 billion for the resumption of construction work on the Kano–Gwarzo–Dayi road project, which had been abandoned by the contractor.

The Deputy Senate President, who disclosed this on his verified Facebook page, said the approval aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises the delivery of quality infrastructure with direct impact on communities across the country.

Barau explained that the approval followed a meeting with the Deputy Managing Director of CGC Nigeria Limited, Mr Lv Haiming, in Abuja, where issues surrounding the stalled project were resolved.