By Israel Bulus, Kaduna
At least 12 local government areas in Kaduna State have reportedly been sidelined in the multi-million-dollar Urban Renewal Programme initiated by the immediate past administration of Nasir El-Rufai, despite ongoing repayments of a $350m World Bank loan secured for the project.
Stakeholders across the state have raised alarm over the alleged lopsided implementation of the infrastructural programme, with several communities in Southern and Central Kaduna lamenting neglect and abandonment.
Field investigations by Our Correspondent revealed that not a single kilometre of road has been completed in LGAs such as Birnin Gwari, Giwa, Ikara, Jaba, Kagarko, Kajuru, Kauru, Kudan, Makarfi, Sanga, Soba, and Zangon Kataf—some of the poorest and most underserved areas in the state.
Sources within the affected communities alleged that while construction flag-offs were conducted with fanfare, the projects never progressed beyond groundbreaking stages. In many instances, equipment was abandoned and contractors demobilised shortly after the ceremonies.
Transparency advocates and civil society organisations have described the situation as a gross injustice. Comrade Phelimon Andrew, a Zango-Kataf-based activist, called for a legislative probe into the programme.
“We can’t keep taking loans for political PR. The communities have a right to know where every dollar went,” Andrew said.
The World Bank facility, secured under the El-Rufai administration, was intended to fund the Urban Renewal Programme—a signature initiative aimed at modernising infrastructure across the state. However, critics say the implementation has been anything but inclusive.
Residents expressed frustration over deteriorating road conditions and failed promises. Musa Yakubu, a commercial motorcyclist in Sabo Tasha, said the abandoned roadworks have made commuting both costly and hazardous.
“This road was supposed to be completed under El-Rufai’s administration. Now it’s just a dust trap in dry season and a muddy mess when it rains,” he lamented.
Similarly, Gimbiya Musa, who runs a shop near the stalled Television Garage–Sabo Tasha bridge, said her business has suffered a 50 per cent decline in sales due to low customer traffic.
In Zitti village, Zango Kataf LGA, residents reported that children now play on half-graded roads while open drains attract refuse dumps.
“It’s a constant reminder of a broken promise,” said Ezekiel Haruna, a community leader.
A school teacher in Kafanchan, Fatima Bello, added: “El-Rufai gave us hope that Kaduna would be transformed. What we got were potholes, dust storms and traffic chaos.”
Garba Habibu from Birnin Gwari, one of the hardest-hit LGAs, called on Governor Uba Sani to probe the previous administration.
“This administration must tell us the truth about what happened to the $350m World Bank loan. We deserve answers,” he said.
An insider within the state Ministry of Works, who spoke on condition of anonymity, alleged that about 76 per cent of the projects were concentrated in Kaduna North Senatorial District, leaving Southern and Central zones with abandoned sites.
A youth leader in Kaura also criticised the unequal spread of development.
“How can we keep paying back a loan and have nothing to show for it?” he asked, citing the stalled Yarbwan–Kafanchan road as an example.
In Birnin Gwari, plagued by insecurity and poor road access, residents said the failed projects have compounded their suffering. Government insiders confirmed to PUNCH that many of the affected LGAs never saw project completion or even contractor mobilisation.
“Everything was about media visibility and urban optics,” one source within the Kaduna Government House said.
Community leaders are now demanding urgent attention and equity in infrastructural development, warning that continued marginalisation may breed discontent.
Efforts to reach the Kaduna State Ministry of Works for official comment were unsuccessful, as calls and messages to key officials were not returned at press time.
