4 Different Pregnant Women Delivered Inside My Tricycle, Kano Residents Decry Neglect of Yandodo–Mai-Allo Road Despite Awarded Contract

By Sani Magaji Garko

Residents of several communities spanning Nassarawa, Kumbotso and Gezawa local government areas have appealed to the Kano State Government to urgently to fully start work on the Yandodo–Mai-Allo–Oromi–Mariri road project, lamenting that the prolonged delay in its construction has exposed thousands of residents to hardship and danger.

The affected road links Yandodo, Mai-Allo, Oromi and Mariri, with another section extending from Oromi to Yargana and Tsamiya Babba in Gezawa Local Government Area.

Residents described the road as a major transport corridor serving densely populated communities.

The residents said although the project was awarded to a construction company by the Kano State Government, it is yet to fully start as expected, leaving the road riddled with deep potholes, severe erosion and flooding.

Speaking with Global Tracker, a tricycle operator, Adamu Alhassan, recounted what he described as one of the most painful consequences of the deteriorating road.

According to him, four different pregnant women gave birth inside his tricycle on separate occasions because the poor condition of the road prevented them from reaching hospitals in time.

“I have personally witnessed four pregnant women deliver inside my tricycle at different times because we could not get them to the hospital quickly due to the condition of this road,” he said.

He explained that whenever labour became too advanced during the journey, he had no option but to stop his tricycle at a safe location.

“I would park the tricycle and cover the woman to provide some privacy until the delivery was completed. After that, I would immediately continue the journey to the hospital so that the mother and newborn could receive proper medical treatment and professional care,” he added.

Another resident and Chairman of Tricycle Operators in the area, Hussaini Sa’idu, said the abandoned road project has become a major source of suffering for residents, especially pregnant women, children, elderly persons and other vulnerable members of the communities.

He said years of neglect had left the road filled with potholes and extensive water erosion, making movement extremely difficult.

According to him, the situation becomes worse during the rainy season when floodwater overtops sections of the road.

“When there is heavy rainfall, residents cannot cross the road for several hours because of the volume and speed of the floodwater. People are afraid of being swept away, so they wait until the water subsides before continuing their journey,” he said.

Sa’idu noted that the poor state of the road has disrupted transportation, delayed access to hospitals, schools and markets, and increased transportation costs for residents.

He appealed to Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to intervene by ensuring that the contractor handling the project returns to the site without further delay.

Global Tracker correspondent Sani Magaji Garko recalls that in October 2025, the Kano State Commissioner for Works, Marwan Ahmed, announced the award of the contract for the construction of the strategic road.

Following the announcement, the government, a few months later, erected the project’s construction signboard at the site, signalling the commencement of the project.

However, despite the placement of the project signage, residents said the full-scale execution of the road construction is yet to begin, with the road remaining in a deplorable condition.

Several other residents who spoke with Global Tracker expressed concern that despite the strategic importance of the road, the project is yet to fully start, exposing road users to avoidable hardship and safety risks.

They said full-execusion of the road would significantly improve socio-economic activities, ease transportation, enhance access to healthcare and education, and reduce the suffering currently experienced by thousands of residents across the affected communities.

The residents urged the Kano State Government to investigate the cause of the delay, ensure accountability in the execution of the project and facilitate its speedy start and completion in the interest of the public.

Efforts to obtain official comments from the relevant government authorities and the contractor responsible for the project were not immediately successful as of the time of filing this report.