The Niger State House of Assembly has passed a resolution seeking the
interventions of two former heads of state and retired generals,
Ibrahim Babangida and Abdusalami Abubakar, on the deplorable condition
of federal roads in the state.
The House passed the resolution, yesterday, following a motion calling
on the executive arm of government to as a matter of urgency find a
lasting solution to the Federal roads in the state.
The motion was moved by a member representing Lapai constituency, Musa
Vatsa, and seconded by Malik Madaki, a member representing Bosso
constituency.
“All the federal roads in Niger are in a deplorable condition and as a
result vehicles spend about six to eight hours on the road that should
take an hour journey.
“These federal roads are the only access roads in and out of Niger
state and all heavy-duty vehicles from the Northern to the Southern
parts of the country and vice versa ply these routes on a daily basis.
“Although the Niger government spends billions of Naira to maintain
these roads, particularly, the Minna-Suleja road, the repairs do not
last long because the heavy-duty vehicles plying these routes are too
many and they carry above the required capacity.“Despite the fact that
contract has been awarded by the FG for the rehabilitation of
Lambata-Agaie-Bida road, no effort by FG to release funds to fast
track the work to alleviate the sufferings of our people,’’ he added.
The move came a day after the Niger State caucus in the National
Assembly decried the deplorable state roads in the state.
On Monday, dozens of angry youth blocked the Suleja-Minna and
Minna-Bida highways in protest of the bad roads across Niger State.
In his submission before the House, Abba Bala, representing Borgu,
noted that no single federal road in Niger was in a good shape in
spite of the overwhelming votes the APC led government got from the
state at the polls.
Other members who spoke in similar vein said the bad condition of the
federal roads in Niger was becoming an embarrassment to the state.
The House thereafter unanimously resolved to set up a seven-man ad-hoc
committee to reach out to the two former heads of state and seek ways
they can intervene to facilitate work on the bad roads.
The committee is also to interface with the comptroller of the Federal
Ministry of Works in charge of Niger on the state of the roads in the
state.
