An appeal has gone to the Federal Ministry of Works to declare an emergency on Lokoja – Okene road to ease free flow of vehicles on the trunk ’A’ road.
This appeal became necessary following the worsening condition of the road which serves as the only road linking the west and the southern part of the country to the Federal Capital Territory.
Worst affected is Okene – Nagazi – Federal College of Education (FCE) Okene axis of the federal highway.
Last week, commuters plying the road, especially trucks and other heavy duty vehicles, were held up for over 48 hours on the road before emergency measures were taken to fill the gully on the road with hardcore to give the vehicles easy passage.
Following heavy rains, the emergency measures have been washed away, resulting to the emergence of another grid-lock on the road.
Presently, for commuters to get to Lokoja from Okene, they pass through Kabba-Obajana road, compelling commuters to spend three hours to get to Lokoja from Okene.
Apart from the night marsh experience of commuters/ passengers (especially children) who are forced to spend long hours on stand still, transport fares from Okene to Lokoja that used to be N500 have suddenly tripled.
Speaking on the situation, an activist and public commentator, Alhaji Ahmed Adoke, described the condition of the road as very deplorable and un-motorable.
Adoke, who is a resident of Nagazi area, said the traffic hold up has also affected residents of the area as they find it hard to move from one place to the other in their vehicles.
He appealed to the federal government, the Federal Ministry of Works in particular, to urgently come to the rescue of commuters plying the road by getting the road rehabilitated to allow free flow of vehicles.
– Aliyu Momoh, Freelance Correspondent (Blueprint) 08136379088
