‘Four Pregnant Women Delivered Inside My Tricycle,’ Kano Residents Decry Delay in ‘Yandodo–Mai-Allo Road Project

By Sani Magaji Garko, Kano

Residents of communities across Nassarawa, Kumbotso and Gezawa Local Government Areas of Kano State have appealed to the state government to urgently ensure the full commencement of the ‘Yandodo–Mai-Allo–Oromi–Mariri road project, lamenting that the prolonged delay has continued to expose thousands of people to hardship and safety risks.

The road, which links ‘Yandodo, Mai-Allo, Oromi and Mariri, with another section extending to ‘Yargana and Tsamiya Babba in Gezawa Local Government Area, is regarded by residents as a major transport corridor serving several densely populated communities.

Despite the award of the construction contract by the Kano State Government, residents said full-scale work is yet to commence, leaving the road riddled with deep potholes, severe erosion and sections vulnerable to flooding.

One of the most emotional accounts came from a commercial tricycle operator, Adamu Alhassan, who disclosed that four pregnant women had delivered their babies inside his tricycle on separate occasions because the poor state 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.

Alhassan explained that whenever labour became too advanced during the journey, he was forced to stop at a safe location to allow the women deliver before continuing to the nearest hospital.

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

Also speaking, Chairman of Tricycle Operators in the area, Hussaini Sa’idu, described the road as a major source of hardship for residents, particularly pregnant women, children, the elderly and other vulnerable groups.

According to him, years of neglect have left the road in a deplorable condition, with numerous potholes and extensive erosion making movement increasingly difficult.

He noted that the situation worsens during the rainy season when floodwaters submerge sections of the road, cutting off access to neighbouring communities.

“Whenever there is heavy rainfall, residents cannot cross the road for several hours because of the strength of the floodwater. People have to wait until the water subsides before continuing their journey,” Sa’idu said.

He added that the deteriorating road has disrupted transportation, delayed access to hospitals, schools and markets, while also increasing transport fares for commuters.

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

The report recalled 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.

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

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

Several residents expressed concern that the delay has continued to expose commuters to avoidable hardship and safety risks despite the strategic importance of the road.

They maintained that completing the project would significantly improve transportation, facilitate easier access to healthcare and educational institutions, boost commercial activities and improve the overall socio-economic wellbeing of communities along the corridor.

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

Efforts to obtain official comments from the relevant government authorities and the contractor handling the project were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.