Communities in the Bassa-Nge District of Bassa Local Government Area have issued an open letter urging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo and the Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, to intervene urgently on the deteriorated Shintaku–Odenyi Road. They warn that its condition could keep voters from reaching their communities in the forthcoming elections.
The letter was issued by the Nindiji Nupe Development Association (NNDA), formerly the Bassa-Nge Development Union, on behalf of its Board of Trustees, the Bassa-Nge Community Development Network (BNCDN), the Council of Traditional Title Holders and the community development associations along the road. It is signed by the NNDA National President, Barr. Abdulaleem Haruna, and the NNDA Board of Trustees Chairman, Mr. Nda Yakubu. The BNCDN Board of Trustees Chairman, Engr. James Akale, and Engr. Usman Nda Mohammed of the Council of Traditional Title Holders are also named as signatories.
The groups say the road has deteriorated to the point where moving people, farm produce, goods and essential services has become extremely difficult. They describe it as a lifeline for communities where thousands of people farm, trade and keep ancestral ties, and where residents depend on it to reach healthcare, schools and markets. “When a community road becomes practically impassable,” the letter states, the communities it serves become increasingly isolated from the rest of the state and the country.
The associations say the coming elections make the matter more pressing. They note that many registered voters from the affected communities live or work elsewhere and normally travel home to vote, and that a badly degraded road could stop them. The letter adds that the road could also hinder the movement of electoral officials, election materials, security personnel and observers, causing delays and vehicle breakdowns. Restoring access, the groups argue, is therefore not only a maintenance issue but also a matter of inclusive participation and democratic representation.
The communities acknowledge the heavy infrastructure demands on both federal and state governments. They recall, however, that full reconstruction of the road was awarded during the Buhari administration and say that “nothing has been done” on it to date. For that reason they are not asking for complete reconstruction before the polls. They are asking for an emergency intervention that would make the road reasonably motorable while permanent rehabilitation is considered.
The letter proposes a series of remedial works. It begins with a technical assessment to identify the sections where scarification, grading and reshaping of the existing pavement could quickly restore access. A motor grader would then reshape the deteriorated portions and establish a proper road profile and camber, followed by compaction with a vibratory compactor after moisture is applied from a water tanker. Failed or excessively soft stretches would be excavated and replaced with approved material. Where engineers consider it appropriate, the prepared surface could then receive a prime coat and aggregate chippings or another recommended surface treatment. “What our people urgently need is access,” the letter states.
Each of the three officials is addressed directly. Governor Ododo is asked to direct the relevant ministry, agency or technical team to inspect and assess the road immediately and decide what emergency work can begin without delay. The groups say the community looks principally to the state government for immediate assistance and that a relatively modest intervention now could revive local economic activity and reconnect thousands of citizens with their communities.
Minister Umahi is asked to explore every lawful avenue for the Federal Ministry of Works to support, collaborate with or complement the state’s efforts. The letter points out that the Shintaku–Odenyi stretch is a small portion of what was originally a federal road linking the area to Eastern Nigeria. It requests that the Minister facilitate intergovernmental collaboration or refer the matter to the appropriate federal intervention agency.
President Tinubu is asked to lend the weight of his office to the appeal. The groups say the Renewed Hope Agenda will have its greatest meaning for rural Nigerians when it reaches the roads connecting them to farms, markets, hospitals, schools and polling communities. They describe their request as “a passable road and the opportunity to participate fully” in the country’s economic, social and democratic life.
The associations stress that timing is critical. A repair completed after the elections may eventually ease transportation, they say, but it cannot restore the opportunity of any citizen who was unable to vote because their community was effectively out of reach. They are therefore asking for immediate action rather than a promise of future intervention, and say they believe an emergency repair can be carried out within the time available.
“The people are waiting. The communities are appealing. And time is of the essence,” the letter concludes.
