BY AHMED TUKUR, LAFIA – Road users plying the Abuja – Jos road have called for critical emergency intervention by the Federal Government in addressing the deplorable condition of the high way to prevent further loss of lives and property.
Commuters noted that the worsening condition of the roads in the axis if not quickly rehabilitated or reconstructed may lead to cutting off so many states from having access to the nation’s capital and other parts of the country.
They added immediate reconstruction of the road is needed to save the destruction of food items and other products being transported from getting destroyed with attendant economic waste.
They said the road between Akwanga – Gwantu in Sanga Local Government Area of Kaduna state to Jos and Keffi in Nasarawa state to Gidan Waya in Jama’a Local Government of Kaduna to Riyom in Plateau State required urgent federal attention to avoid further casualties on the axis.
They explained that the roads in question have the highest number of users going towards the North East from the Federal Capital Territory but have since worn off owing to heavy traffic and age of the roads.
A drive through the roads by our correspondent showed that terrible potholes and ditches have taken over significant parts of the road almost every kilometer of the road just as the motorists now have no option that resort to the use of only one side of the road particularly at Jagindi rail line crossing in Jama’a Local Government Area of Kaduna owing to the deplorable condition of the road.
The situation is the same in Kuru area of Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State as road users are forced to take turn to use the only manageable one lane along the rail crossing.
Some motorists and passengers that spoke to our correspondent, appealed to the Federal Government
to declare a state of emergency on the road in order to get failed road fixed.
They noted that along the Abuja–Jos road particularly at the axis called “Forest”, a journey that ordinarily should not take more than 35 minutes now takes motorists over two hours to cover owing to the failed nature of the road.
Ibrahim Saleh, whose vehicle felled into a ditch in Riyom, Plateau state, called on Federal Government to decentralize the activities of Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) for efficiency.
Saleh noted the road has outlived its lifespan and needed to be totally reconstructed.
In his own comment, John Festus, a commercial driver, said the Federal Government needs to
expedite action on the roads in view of their glaring relevance and economic importance to the country.
Checks along the road showed an increase in vehicles breaking down at failed portions of the road along Riyom and Forest areas of Plateau state among others.
Sadiq Bawa, who is an official of the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) in Gwantu, appealed to both the Kaduna state and Federal Government to rescue the road owing to its economic importance.
