Kaduna Communities Cry Out Over Abandoned Roads, Demand Probe into $350m World Bank Loan
Residents of several local government areas in Kaduna State are kicking against what they describe as the unfair and lopsided use of a $350 million World Bank loan secured by the immediate past administration of ex-Governor Nasir El-Rufai.
The loan, which was meant to fund the state’s Urban Renewal Programme, is still being repaid, yet many communities—especially in the southern and central parts of the state—say they’ve seen little to no benefit. In fact, in 12 LGAs including Birnin Gwari, Giwa, Kauru, and Zangon Kataf, not even a kilometre of the promised road projects has been completed.
According to several residents and community leaders who spoke with Arewa PUNCH, many of the projects were either abandoned shortly after groundbreaking or never got off the ground at all. Some say the only sign of activity are rusting construction machines, left behind as silent monuments to broken promises.
A transparency advocate, Comrade Phelimon Andrew from Zango Kataf, isn’t keeping quiet. “We can’t keep borrowing money just to score political points. The people deserve to know where the money went,” he said, calling for a legislative audit of the whole programme.
Small business owners are also bearing the brunt. Gimbiya Musa, who runs a shop near the abandoned Television Garage–Sabo Tasha road, said business has dropped by over 50% since the project stalled. “People just avoid this area now. We thought it would boost sales, but it’s turned into a nightmare.”
Even okada riders like Musa Yakubu have stories. “That road they started is now a trap. Dust during dry season, mud during the rains. We spend more fixing bikes than earning money,” he lamented.
A government insider claimed nearly 76% of the projects were concentrated in Kaduna North, leaving other zones with crumbling or nonexistent infrastructure.
Now, citizens are calling on Governor Uba Sani to investigate what really happened. “We need to know how a loan that was supposed to benefit all turned into media hype for a few,” said Garba Habibu from Birnin Gwari.
Efforts to get comments from government officials as of press time were unsuccessful.
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