NEWS:STATE GOVERNMENT FLAGS-OFF TRAINING OF MAINTENANCE TEAMS PHASE 2 ROADS AND ACCESS TO RIVER CROSSINGS ACROSS THE STATE IN HONG LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS.

By Murna Panya

Second Rural Access and Mobility Project (RAMP-2) is a rural intervention project that emerged from Rural Travel and Transport Policy (RTTP). It is designed to facilitate Sustainable Development in the Rural Areas and it partners with the World Bank (WB) and French Development Agency (IDA).

The Objective (PDO) is to improve transport conditions and bring sustained access to the rural population, through rehabilitating and maintaining key rural transport infrastructure in a sustainable

manner in selected Nigerian States.

This is a goal or mandate we all share; the sustainable access of our rural areas is critical to the socio- economic development of the State.

Yesterday, the Honourable Commissioner Ministry of Rural infrastructure and Community Development, Hon. Abdullahi Adamu Prambe flagged-off Community-based Road Maintenance Teams Phase II Roads and Access to River Crossing across the state in Hong Local Government Area.

Abdullahi Prambe while addressing the participants at the events said, Rural Access plays a pivotal role in poverty reduction and sustainable development by looking in-ward and connecting roads to agricultural Areas, National and regional market.

 

Cognisant of this link, that is why Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri led Administration has always prioritised the provision of access road particularly to the rural populace through the RAMP-2 to ensure that all rural populace have

sustained access to stimulate broader economic growth and social opportunities in the rural areas.

This has positively impacted on the livelihood of the people especially farmers who are responsible for the bulk of food consumed in the urban centers and technically reduces post- harvest loses, ease access and transportation; however this positive impact would be short-lived if the roads are not maintained, hence a lot of efforts have been put in place to improve the much needed maintenance of roads by the community members.

The Commissioner further state that, the primary challenge of the earth roads deterioration within short period of time is due to usage and running water high traffic volume which wears the road quickly and In order to increase the life span of these roads, Community-based Road

Maintenance, one of the major components of RAMP-2, is designed to provide prompt maintenance to all rural roads rehabilitated under RAMP-2. 

In institutionalising this system, the people living on the corridor of the road are elected, formed and registered as Road Maintenance Cooperative Society Limited for the purpose of taking charge of the maintenance of the road on routine basis. 

It is also envisaged that the road maintenance groups will transform to micro-enterprise in the future which will have the capacity of

liaising with the State or Local Government to take responsibility of maintaining the roads in their respective communities.

He said, the training is expedient because majority of the road maintenance groups are farmers that have limited knowledge and technical know-how of carrying out the road maintenance activities and therefore, need to undergo basic training which will look at both the technical aspects on how to properly implement the maintenance activities, and  the managerial aspects on how to manage a Co-operative.

This initial training needs to be followed up by a regular on-the-

job training to further improve the workers" skills. In view of these, it is imperative to train and re-train the road maintenance groups.

The Commissioner congratulated the selected participants and urged them to exhibit un-wavering commitment towards the training, and be open to learn more things and new ways of doing things.

The event which took place at Kwabaktina community School in Hong local government Area, was attended by the Council Chairman Hon. James Pukuma, and the Adamawa State Project Coordinator, Rural Access and Mobility Projects (ADRAMP-2), Engr. Adamu Vandi Zubairu among others.