The Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, has received commendation from the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Sokoto State Council, for undertaking projects that reflect the yearning and aspiration of the state’s citizens.
Chairman of the union in the state, Isa Shuni, gave the commendation when he led some members of the union on tour of some projects embarked upon by Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal yesterday.
“As a watch dog, we came here to see what the governor is doing with the public funds and not to antagonise him but to work as partners in progress,” he stated, while noting that the projects reflected the wants and needs of the local populace.
According to the NUJ, the tour was intended to access how far the administration had gone with fulfilling its campaign promises to the people of the state.
“We came here to see things for ourselves and what is on ground attests that the governor is fulfilling his campaign promises to the people of the state,” Shuni said.
The journalists visited the Sokoto State University Teaching Hospital (SSUTH), Kasarawa, where the project consultant, Mr. Kabiru Umar Yabo, of Calder Construction Nigeria Ltd., explained it was undertaking a N6.8 billion contract comprising 22 structures, two site fence and administrative block. It is due for completion within 30 months, he added.
Yabo informed the delegation that after completion, the hospital would provide tertiary health service delivery to the people of Sokoto and neighbouring states, Nigeria and would also be used as a training centre for medical students of the state’s university.
He also assured that the project which was at 30 per cent completion would be finished and delivered before the projected deadline.
On his part, the site engineer, Usman Muhammad, disclosed that the firm engages a minimum of 1,000 labourers daily.
The NUJ team also visited the construction site of Government Girls Science Academy, Kasarawa, where the work was at 40 per cent completion stage.
At the site of the project, Calder Construction Nigeria Ltd, contractor for the project, represented by its Director, Mr. Kabir Mahmoud Sarki, said the contract was awarded at the sum of N2.4 billion.
Sarki further explained that the school, which is pure boarding, has 36 classrooms, four laboratories, an e-library, administrative block, staff quarters and hostels.
He added that the work, which has a contract space of 18 months, will be completed before the stipulated time.