Niger RAMP links 395 communities with 580km access roads

The Rural Access and Mobility Project (RAMP) in Niger has constructed and rehabilitated access roads of over 580km to link over 395 communities the state, the state coordinator of the project, Hassan Baba Etsu, has said.

Etsu disclosed this in an interview with Blueprint in Minna at the weekend, adding that the rural access roads have opened up economic and social activities of the rural dwellers in the areas of intervention.

He said the feeder roads were spread across the state, based on equity, adding that over 30 river crossing culverts and bridges have also been constructed along the roads.

According to him, “Our intervention in the construction and rehabilitation of access roads has resulted in the proliferation of business activities that were hitherto not there thereby creating employment for some rural dwellers and improving their living conditions.”

He commended the state government for the prompt payment of its counterpart fund to the programme which he said has led to the success recorded in the execution of projects in the state, adding that “we are happy that RAMP in Niger state have been rated as the best in terms of performance in the country and the credit goes to Governor Abubakar Sani Bello for his commitment and determination to the development of the rural areas of the state.”

According to him, the achievements of the project were more visible in areas of creating more access to markets and hospitals with reduction in maternal mortality by 60 percent and 40 percent reduction in cost of transportation in the areas of intervention.

He said, “I want to assure the people that the state government under the able leadership of Governor Abubakar Sani Bello will continue to pay attention to issues regarding rural and infrastructural development and support activities regarding sustainability of RAMP2 investment in the state.”

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