Bridges collapse threatens Kiru communities

Residents of Kiru Local Government Area of Kano State have lamented that two bridges in the area are on the verge of total collapse, thereby posing the threat of cutting them away from other parts of the state. The present condition of the bridges was said to be as a result of the heavy rainfall […]

Residents of Kiru Local Government Area of Kano State have lamented that two bridges in the area are on the verge of total collapse, thereby posing the threat of cutting them away from other parts of the state.

The present condition of the bridges was said to be as a result of the heavy rainfall in the area which has been eroding the bridges beneath.

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This is even as Kiru is not part of the 20 LGAs the report of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) recently predicted as prone to flooding in the state.

Speaking to Chronicle, some residents of the area said that the bridges linking many communities are very critical to their socio-economic life.

Malam Aliyu Salisu, the secretary of Kiru Development Forum, said the bridges were on the two main roads leading to the town from the east and south.

“The recent heavy rainfalls in our area and the government inability to complete the 5km road project in the town have made the rain to be eroding the bridges.

“The first road leading to Tahfeez road is linking eastern communities to the main town.

“So, if something is not done, it may collapse and cut away these communities from us.

‘They use the road to come to Kiru and then travel to other parts of the state, so if it collapses, it means they can’t go anywhere.

“We grouped ourselves under Kiru Development Forum and our District Head reported the issue to our representatives in the state assembly.

“Thank God, the following day, the commissioner for works arrived and inspected the place,” Salisu said.

He appealed to the state government to hasten the project due to its significance to residents of the area.

Another resident, Malam Isa Hashimu, said the culverts leading to one of the bridges have been completely eroded.

According to him, “The bridge links the main town to the market.

“Virtually all travellers from other parts of Kiru use this road and also link parts of Karaye Local Government to us.

“We are glad that our LGA chairman, commissioner for works, and state assembly member all visited the area last week and promised to tackle the problem.

“We pray they do it in time to prevent their total collapse,” Hashimu said.

However, efforts to reach the member representing Kiru constituency in the State Assembly, Kabiru Hassan Dashi, proved abortive as he neither answer  phone calls nor respond to a text message sent to him as at the time of filing this report.

Meanwhile, the state commissioner for Works and Housing, Idris Garba Unguwar Rimi, said they had already sent engineers to the site to survey the bridges for work to start immediately.

“Immediately we got the report, the executive governor called me and ordered us to do something.

‘I visited Kiru myself last week and our engineers will go back on Sunday to survey the site, measure it, and give us the estimate and work will start there immediately.

“The work we will do there will end the threat and address the problem.

“It will surpass the one on the ground in terms of quality,” the commissioner promised.