Posted by Chinenye on Fri 17th Jul, 2026 - tori.ng
A groundbreaking project has transformed daily life for thousands of residents and students in Kano, with a first-of-its-kind infrastructure initiative promising safer movement, easier access to essential services and a major boost to the community. The
(solar borehole. Photo by Nation News)
In Danbare community, Kumbotso Local Government Area, the Women Farmers Advancement Network (WOFAN) has put into service Kano State's first inclusive pedestrian bridge, along with a solar-powered borehole and an access road, with the goal of enhancing road safety, clean water access, and transportation for thousands of locals and students.
The projects are expected to benefit residents of Danbare, students of WOFAN Comprehensive School, pupils from about 10 neighbouring public and private schools, off-campus students of Bayero University, Kano, and other road users along the busy Gwarzo Road.
Speaking at the commissioning, WOFAN Founder and Group Executive Board Chair, Dr Salamatu Garba, explained that the interventions followed extensive consultations with community members to identify their most pressing needs, adopting a community-driven approach that prioritised safe road crossing, access to potable water and improved road infrastructure.
She noted that WOFAN's schools sit within a cluster of educational institutions close to Bayero University, making the busy highway a significant safety concern for thousands of students who cross daily.
(Pedestrian bridge. Photo by Tribune Online)
She described the pedestrian bridge as the first of its kind in the state, built with accessibility features for persons with disabilities, including wheelchair users and those using customised tricycles, adding that it would also improve access to markets, strengthen connectivity within the area, and enhance residents' overall wellbeing.
She further explained that the solar-powered borehole, fitted with more than 12 water collection points, would ensure a sustainable supply of clean drinking water, while the newly built access road would boost mobility and stimulate economic activity.
She urged residents to take ownership of the facilities by maintaining and protecting them, stressing that communities do not always need to wait on government intervention, as collaboration between residents, institutions and development organisations can produce practical solutions that improve lives.
Representing Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, the Special Adviser on Empowerment, Hon Nasiru Isa Dikko, commended WOFAN and its partners for complementing the state government's development efforts through infrastructure investments that support education, healthcare, transportation and citizens' welfare, noting that the projects align with the administration's development agenda, and appealed to residents to safeguard the facilities for future generations.
Chairman of WOFAN's Technical Board of Advisors, Professor Sani Miko, said the interventions addressed longstanding challenges in Danbare, including chronic water shortages, poor road access and the risks associated with crossing the busy dual carriageway, describing the bridge as one of the first disability-friendly bridges in Northern Nigeria.
The Director-General of the Kano Geographic Information Service, Dr Dalhatu Aliyu Sani, commended WOFAN for supporting government efforts through community infrastructure investments and urged other organisations and philanthropists to follow suit.
Also speaking, the Vice-Chancellor of Bayero University, Kano, Professor Haruna Musa, said the bridge would greatly improve the safety of students and residents who had long faced risks crossing the highway between the university and neighbouring communities.
Chairman of the WOFAN Comprehensive School Parents-Teachers Association, Isma'il Musa Kalla, described the project as a major relief for thousands of students and parents who use the road daily, while appealing to the Kano State Government to halt a proposed gas refilling plant near the school, warning that such a facility would pose serious safety and environmental risks to nearby schools and residents.
The District Head of Kumbotso, Alhaji Abdullahi Sunusi Barde, commended WOFAN for its sustained community development efforts and announced that Dr Garba would be honoured with a traditional title in recognition of her service.
On behalf of residents, the Ward Head of Danbare, Abdulmuminu Sharif, expressed gratitude to WOFAN for addressing the community's longstanding needs, pledging that residents would protect and maintain the facilities.
The commissioning marks another milestone in WOFAN's ongoing commitment to sustainable community development through strategic investment in education, water supply, infrastructure and social inclusion across Kano State.