The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the Governor of Kogi state, Alhaji Yahaya Bello to be responsible to his duties and fix all bad roads across Lokoja, the state capital.
A statement signed the party’s Director of Media and Communications, Dayo Onibiyo, described the pot holes donning most of the roads in Lokoja as “well-sized holes”.
Onibiyo bemoaned the state of roads across Lokoja that has become a nightmare to residents and commuters, calling on Governor Bello to “stop embarrassing visitors and travellers passing through the state.
“Well-sized holes litters almost all roads in Lokoja, the Kogi state capital. Residents are subjected to untold hardship and pains on a daily basis because the roads are in pitiable and near impassible states that does not befits even a village setting talk more of a supposed city which connects the Northern and Southern parts of the country,” he said.
The party posited that these roads are an eyesore and hinders both vehicular and human movements.
“Unfortunately, we pity APC members and their cronies who today plies these roads too. These once upon a time good roads have no regard for the political party or who you support, it won’t exempt them from its excruciating pains, dangers and unnecessary delays.
“We wonder what the Governor have in mind, as he is aspiring to be the President, to use to campaign as he goes around frittering state resources on pure self interest and parochial mission at the detriment of developing the state and living as parasite on its lean resources.
“This brings to mind the countless loss of lives and properties on these roads and the several irrecoverable damages, particularly to bikes, trucks and human beings. who convey goods, while trying to avoid these dangerous pot holes. A visit to areas like Police Headquarters entry, the road leading to Paparanda Square, IBB way around UBA, Ganaja Junction, Ganaja Village, Barack road, Zango will reveal the sorry states of these roads.
“In brief review from 2017, the Kogi State government has been allocating money to fix these roads, as it allocated N2.2 billion for the construction and rehabilitation of Lokoja township roads in the budget of its Ministry of Works, Housing and Urban Development. While in 2018, the same government allocated N600 million for the same road projects. The amounts released or claimed to have been released does not reflect on the sorry realities on the roads. According to the budget of Kogi State Ministry of Works, Urban and Housing, N891.6 million was allocated in 2017 for the Asphalt overlay of the expressway. Ever since then, money has been allocated till 2021 budget and no positive effect is seen on these roads.
“It is sad to observe that it will be difficult to talk about other death traps called roads connecting the state capital, the ‘longest graves’ from the West to the East and Central parts of Kogi state, when a Governor can not fix roads in the state capital. This is not just disgraceful but devastating when other states are already fixing roads in the remote villages,” the statement read.
The party called on all sons and daughters of Kogi state, as well as residents alike, to pray for the state to survive these perilous times under Governor Bello.
The statement concludes, by charging other none government agencies to join in the ongoing self help effort by some individuals and groups to fix the roads, while we all put pressure on Yahaya Bello to wake up to his responsibilities.
