The intervention of the Rural Access Mobility Projects II (RAMP2) in the provision of access to rural roads has resulted in the reduction of mortality rate by 60 percent in Niger state, the state Commissioner of Agriculture and Rural Development, Haliru Zakari Jikantoro, has said.
Jikantoro stated this Thursday while welcoming participants to a stakeholders sensitisation workshop organized by RAMP2 in Minna.
He said: “There have been tremendous achievements in the development of the rural areas in the state since the intervention of RAMP 2 in our communities. I am aware that the mortality rate has been reduced by 60 percent in intervention areas because many communities can now access secondary and tertiary health facilities due to availability of roads constructed by RAMP 2.”
The commissioner listed other benefits to include the construction and rehabilitation of 176km roads in the first phase and 403 km roads in the second phase of the project adding that it also includes economic empowerment of the rural dwellers while the provision of access roads has enhanced movement of farm produce to markets.
Declaring the workshop opened, the state governor, Abubakar Sani Bello, restated the commitment of his administration towards punctual release of the state counterpart funds for the project.
He said the project has enabled communities to actively participate in social and economic activities towards uplifting their living standard, access to health and education.
He said, “the project has empowered the local capacities through the community based rural roads maintenance model which entails the engagement of the rural people along the corridors of the rural roads rehabilitated by the project thereby creating employment opportunities in the state.”
In a remark, the national coordinator of RAMP, Ubandoma Ularamu, commended the state for taking best position in the successful implementation of RAMP projects in the country.
He said there has been unprecedented growth in agriculture in the state.
