From Noah Ocheni, Lokoja
The Minister of Works, David Nweze Umahi on Tuesday in Lokoja assured Nigerians that a permanent solution will be applied to put all federal roads in good condition to ameliorate the suffering faced by citizens during raining season.
Umahi gave the assurance on Tuesday evening in Lokoja when in company of the Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello inspect Abuja – Koton-Karfe – Lokoja road , Lokoja – Okene road and Ganaja – Ajaokuta roads that had become a death trap to motorists since the 2022 flood disaster.
The Minister who assured that the Ganaja – Ajaokuta road will be redesign and build on the existing contract to ensure the road is giving a permanent face lift, also promised that a retaining wall will be constructed on the road to permanently prevent flood disaster from destroying the road during rainy season.
According to him, flyover will be constructed on the section of the federal road at Koton-Karfe destroyed by flood, assuring that within two weeks the redesign of the roads will be completed and rehabilitation of the roads will commence immediately to fulfil the aspiration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in providing quality roads for Nigerians.
“I have seen the massive work the Kogi State Government under the leadership of Governor Yahaya Bello has done on very lengthy section of the federal roads in the state. Mr president is aware of every part of the country that is facing road challenges.
“I am assuring you that Nigerians that Mr President came to solve our problems and that was why he directed that I should be on the field to see things for myself with a view to find permanent solutions to the bad condition of our roads especially during this rainy season” he said.
He commended Governor Yahaya Bello for his effort in rehabilitation and construction of federal roads in the state.
In his remarks, Governor Yahaya Bello stated that Kogi State served as a gateway for vehicles moving from the south to the northern parts of the country, expressing concern that since the flooding of 2022 the Ganaja – Ajaokuta road has remained a difficult terrain for trucks and cars coming from the south south and south east to pass to the northern parts of the country.
He stated that the Ganaja – Ajaokuta road does not require just a palliative, noting that the Kogi state government in the past intervene to make the road passable but to no avail, appealing to the federal government to apply a permanent solution on the road to end perennial suffering of motorists during rainy seasons.
Governor Bello thank President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for prioritizing Kogi State among other states to be intervene in road rehabilitation and construction.
The Ganaja -Ajaokuta road lead to south east and south south parts of the country making the influx of vehicles on the very high.
