National Wire About Nigerians, Nigerian Business and Other Stories
Olabode Adaramola
Niger State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello has expressed displeasure at the slow pace of reconstructing the collapsed Mokwa-Tatabu-Jebba and Mokwa Tegina- Kaduna bridges and urged the contractors to expedite action in view of the untold hardship been suffered by motorists and passengers along the road.
The Governor who spoke through his deputy Alhaji Ahmed Muhammad Ketso during an inspection of the two bridges complained that the delay has led to the destruction of some perishable goods worth millions of Naira, heightened security tension in the areas and causing fatigue and frustration to both travelers and commercial vehicle operators.
He noted that the grid lock caused by the collapsed bridges are now being cashed on by hoodlums to wreck havoc on villagers and other travelers, a development that poses a grievous security threat to the state.
Addressing some of the stranded truck drivers, the governor solicited for their patience, co-operation and understanding to enable the contractors complete the road diversion to enable them carry out their primary assignment of reconstructing the collapsed bridges within the stipulated period of the contact.
He also called on truck drivers unions to ensure the enforcement of laws guiding the tonnage of load long and articulated vehicles can carry in order to safe guard the life span of our roads.
The governor then called on the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency take holistic look at the Ilorin-Jebba-Mokwa-Tegina Road by giving it a total overhaul stressing that the road is the only connecting route between south-western states and the North which people daily use for their commercial and other purposes.
At Talabu, the contractor handling Mokwa-Tatabu – Jebba bridge, Engineer Samuel Sumangu said his men would have completed the diversion to allow for free movement of vehicles but for the uncooperative attitude of motorists.
The reconstruction of the collapsed Tatabu bridge was awarded at the sum of N 2.5 billion while government will be reconstructing the Tegina bridge at the cost of N700 million.
Thousands of heavy trucks, private and commercial vehicles were seen lining up the Mokwa-Jebba road for more than three kilometers.
