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Over- Loaded Trucks: Governor Sani Bello suspend N500m rehabilitation works on Minna- Suleja road
Olabode Adaramola
Niger State governor Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello has called for an immediate suspension of the on going Minna- Suleja federal highways rehabilitation works by his government.
Governor Sani Bello’s directive followed the activities of several over -loaded heavy duty trucks plying the road on daily basis that have prevented the positive feelings by other motorists and commuters alike of the impact of the N500 million rehabilitation works carried out on the road by the state government.
He made the observation while inspecting Minna- Suleja road, project , recently awarded by the state government, while calling on the federal ministry of works to enforce weighing bridges in the country, if the life span of the nation’ highways must be sustained and achievable.
He however lamented the way and manner at which trucks plying the road were being over- loaded and weighing between 40,000- 70,000 tones instead of the lawful maximum of between 30,000- 35,000 tones, adding that the roads were initially constructed to carry about 35,000 tones or litres.
Bello said that the rehabilitation efforts of the state government was aimed at reducing the hardship faced by the motorists and commuters alike as well as free flow of movements and to make the road motorable.
He disclosed that he is in consultation with the State House of Assembly to introduce a weighing bridge bill to ensure arrest and prosecution of any over -loaded vehicles especially trucks, plying through the Niger state roads to ensure sustainability of the roads.
Governor Sani Bello further appealed to the federal government to as a matter of urgency, mobilized the contractor handling the dualization of Minna- Suleja road to continue their work in order to reduce the hardships created by the abandonment of the construction works on the road.
The governor, who regretted the level of damage done on the road, said he has so far spent about N500 million for the rehabilitation of the road since his assumption of office.
He thereby urged the contractor to suspend the rehabilitation work till further notice instead of wasting public funds unnecessarily,noting that the best thing to do for now is for the road users to obey the weighing bridges law to ensure lasting infrastructure.
The governor therefore appealed tomotorists to be patient and obey the traffic regulations to ensure accident- free roads, just as he said that the journey of less than two hours from Minna to Abuja presently takes them about five hours on daily basis
Governor Abubakar Sani Bello thereby appealed to the federal government to find alternative means for road users in the country like railways and opening up of the waterways for transportation of goods and services considering the proximity of Niger state capital to the FCT, Abuja.
