By Olukayode Babalola
President Muhammadu Buhari has inaugurated the Karu Bus Terminal as he concluded his two-day working visit to Nasarawa, which began on Thursday, February 24.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the president inaugurated the facility in Karu Local Government Area (LGA) at about 11:22am on Friday.He had earlier inaugurated the Keffi Square and Keffi Neighbourhood Market in Keffi LGA of the state.The inauguration of the Karu bus terminal was the climax of activities of his two-day working visit to the state.The working visit started with the inauguration of the Lafia Cargo Airport, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Complex, Lafia, and the 330/132/33 KV Power Substation in Akurba community, a suburb of Lafia.
Others projects inaugurated by the president were the Lafia Vocational and Technology Institute, Lafia, the Lafia bus terminal and the Kilema-Barkin Abdullahi-Shinge road.In his remarks, President Buhari applauded the state government under the leadership of Gov. Abdullahi Sule, for the projects earmarked and completed, designed to transform the lives of the people of the state.He also appreciated the state government for naming the Karu bus terminal after late Nigeria Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha.According to him, naming of the terminal after the late head of state is befitting, giving that he (Abacha) created Nasarawa state in 1996.Earlier in his remarks, Gov. Sule lauded the president for finding time to visit the state to inaugurate the projects, despite his tight schedule.“
Thank you. Thank you and thank you sir, for spending two days with us, to go round to inaugurate these various projects,” he said.Sule then explained that the state government decided to name the Bus terminal after late Gen. Sani Abacha, giving the pivotal role he played in the creation of the state.In his remarks, Mr Shehu Tukur, Consultant, Canonic Associates, who was awarded the contract for the bus terminal, said the project was the biggest in the country.He noted that the terminal had a capacity for more than 900 vehicles and that adequate security architecture is in place at the place.“It also has public toilets, driver lounges and security gadgets all over and workshops for vehicle maintenance.“
The project was awarded on Jan. 31, 2020, at the cost of N2.2 billion and we were able to complete it within that cost target,” he said.NAN reports that among dignitaries on ground to bid the president farewell were Mr Mohammed Abdullahi, Minister of State for Science and Technology, and Maj.-Gen. Shuaibu Ibrahim, Director General, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). (NAN)
