The House of Representatives has called on the Federal Ministry of Works, Power and Housing to include the dualisation of Kano-Danbatta-Kazaure-Sandamu-Daura-Kangolam-Mai’adua federal road in the 2017 budget to ease hardship by motorists.
The House also urged the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency to carry out rehabilitation of the road as an interim measure for motorists.
The resolution followed a motion by Sani Fago, Badamusi Ayuba and Muhammed Kazaure which was unanimously adopted by members through a voice vote on the floor of the House on Wednesday.
Moving the motion, Fago expressed concern that the road which linked Kano, Jigawa and Katsina States through to Niger Republic was in a deplorable condition and portends great danger to the lives of commuters who ply the road.
Fago explained that since the construction of the 149 kilometres road decades ago, no major rehabilitation work had been carried out on it, in spite of the magnitude of vehicular movements on daily basis.
According to him, the deplorable state of the road is adversely affecting socio-economic activities in the areas.
He said that the dualisation of the road would ease the movements of commuters and goods across the states.
Fago added that it would also save lives from avoidable accidents and eliminate the menace of miscreants who take advantage of the bad road to harass and rob commuters.
The House therefore mandated its committees on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency and Works to ensure compliance and report back to it within eight weeks for further legislative action.
Meanwhile, the House also urged FERMA to repair the dilapidated Aba-Onicha-Ngwa and Old Aba-Owerri Ekeakpara NNPC Federal highways which served as a link between Abia, Imo, Ebonyi, Akwa Ibom and Cross River States.
The motion sponsored by Solomon Adaelu was unanimously adopted by members through a voice vote.
Adaelu expressed concern that the deplorable state of road had made several trailers, tankers and other heavy vehicles carrying petroleum products to resort to using other local routes.
He added that traders as well as farmers who move their agricultural products spent several hours on a journey of 45 minutes, adding that vehicles had to pass through longer routes.
Adaelu further expressed worry that the state of the road had impacted adversely on the commercial and economic activities, especially in Aba, the commercial nerve centre of the South East.
Adaelu said: “The continuous neglect of ever busy Old Aba Federal highway, the Osisioma industry layout which is home for several large industries such as Guineas, Geometrics, Chemlap Limited, NNPC depot would be inaccessible.”
The House also mandated its committees on Works and FERMA to interface with the Federal Ministry of Works, Power and Housing, FERMA to include the reconstruction of the highways in the 2017 budget proposal.
Trending
- Hajj 2024: NAHCON describes Gov. Uzodinma as pillar of support
- TUC wants FG to pay wage award for March, April
- Suspension of Dana Air hasty, punitive — Flight Dispatchers
- Ferry deaths: CILT raises alarm as over 300 die in one year
- Smuggled explosives: Customs hands over 6,240 dynamites to DSS
- Anambra: NSCDC arrests eight illegal private guards, recovers weapons
- Health Workers Week: Stakeholders suggest way out of declining workforce
- Review of: ‘Till My Change Comes,’ by Motunrayo Olumakaiye