For years, residents and traders along the busy Panteka corridor in Kaduna, Kaduna state,  endured clouds of dust, persistent noise, accidents and deteriorating business activities caused by the deplorable state of the road linking Chechnya Market, Old Panteka and Kaduna Polytechnic.

Today, many of them say the ongoing reconstruction of the road by Framtrac Nigeria Limited under Governor Uba Sani’s Rural Transformation Project has not only restored hope but also changed their perception of the governor’s administration.

The road, which stretches from the Old Leventis Roundabout through Chechnya Market and Old Panteka to Kaduna Polytechnic in Tudun Wada, is one of the key urban road projects currently under construction by the state government.

Residents who spoke with Blueprint described the project as one of the best road interventions carried out in the area in recent years, saying the quality of work has significantly improved their daily lives.

A resident, Bashir Taminu, said life had become unbearable before the reconstruction due to the poor condition of the road.

“We’ve had sleepless nights on this road because of the dust and noise. We can now sleep with our two eyes closed. This road construction by Framtrac Nigeria Limited is exceptional and of high quality. We thank Governor Uba Sani for this,” he said.

For Chairman of Panteka Artisans, Dan Basiru Adamu, the quality of the ongoing work has completely changed his perception of the governor.

“Before, I wasn’t into Uba Sani and I wasn’t his fan, but with this quality of job he’s doing, we will support him. The initial work done on the road caused accidents and environmental pollution because of the dust.

“Regarding 2027, he has fulfilled his promise to us and we will fulfil our own part. We all love this quality of job. We were used to seeing governments make promises without fulfilling them. Now, even trailers and heavy-duty trucks can ply this road comfortably,” he said.

Another trader, Abubakar Makiri, who sells building materials and construction equipment in Panteka, said the improved road would revive commercial activities and attract more customers to the area.

“The previous condition of the road discouraged many customers from coming here. They preferred to patronise other places because of the dust and poor road. This project will bring more customers back to Panteka. We appreciate Governor Uba Sani for remembering us,” he said.

Makiri recalled that reconstruction work started during the previous administration but failed to meet the expectations of residents, leaving the road in poor condition.

An engineer with Framtrac Nigeria Limited, who supervised the project but requested anonymity because he was not authorised to speak officially, said the company had to undertake additional engineering works beyond the original scope after discovering structural defects on the road.

According to him, the 1.2-kilometre road was initially expected to receive only a final asphalt overlay, but technical assessments revealed serious foundation failures in several sections.

“What we met was a road with significant foundation issues. Our initial arrangement with the government was to provide the final asphalt wearing course, but when we arrived, we discovered that several sections required complete reconstruction.

“Because this is a major commercial area, the first thing we did was to desilt the entire drainage system. Although that was not part of the government’s scope of work, it became necessary because the drains were completely blocked due to indiscriminate dumping of refuse.

“A section around the Backing Logo area also had serious foundation problems, so we had to reconstruct it entirely. That delayed our completion schedule because we had to do more work than originally planned,” he said.

The engineer expressed optimism that the project would be completed before the end of the week.

He appealed to traders and residents to maintain proper sanitation by keeping the drainage channels free of refuse.

“Any road without a functional drainage system will not last its design life. We appeal to market leaders and residents to ensure proper environmental sanitation so that everyone can enjoy this project for many years,” he said.

He added that Framtrac Nigeria Limited is executing similar road projects in other parts of Kaduna State, including interventions in Zuntu, Pambegua Township and Yakawada in Giwa Local Government Area.

For many residents and traders, however, the greatest impact of the project goes beyond improved transportation.

To them, the transformation from a dusty, accident-prone road to a modern carriageway has restored confidence in government intervention, revived business activities and renewed hope that infrastructure development can improve livelihoods in one of Kaduna’s busiest commercial and industrial hubs.

Meanwhile, Blueprint.ng observed that the ongoing reconstruction has significantly reduced the dust that previously enveloped the corridor, while vehicular movement has become smoother with fewer traffic obstructions compared to the period before the intervention.