Commuters groan as gridlock cripples Minna

An unending gridlock inside the ancient city of Minna, Niger state caused by the spilling of fuel products from a tank involved in accident along Chanchaga area of the town, has crippled commercial and government activities.

Our correspondent learnt that the accident occurred about 7am on Monday when the driver of an articulated vehicle heavily loaded with goods, attempted to overtake the fuel tanker resulting in damaging contact with each other.

The damage on the fuel tanker, according to sources, resulted in the spillage of its content thereby filling the road with petroleum product.

It was learnt that motorists trying to avoid the scene of the accident began to look for alternative route in panic thereby causing gridlock, which witnesses said had refused to ease away.

Checks revealed that the city centre has been cut off from other parts of Minna, particularly Chanchaga and Tunga Goro areas of the town while residents have been kept incommunicable with the main city.

It was gathered that many workers and students residing in the affected areas whose schools and offices are domicile inside town including the state civil servants have been in dilemma since the gridlock began.

A commercial driver, Adamu Yakubu, who spoke with our reporter, lamented that government appeared not to be interested in the sufferings of the people along the Minna – Suleja road.

A concerned citizen who spoke on condition of anonymity said that the condition of the road was getting worse by the day adding that “it is unfortunate that the federal and state governments have not given desired attention to this portion of the road”

Commenting on the situation, Permanent Secretary of the state Ministry of Works Balarebe Abubakar Sadiq told our correspondent that the only solution is the early finishing of the Lapai – Agaie – Bida road and that of Mokwa- Makera – Tegna road.

He explained that completion of those federal roads will save the Minna – Suleja road from the articulated vehicles and also improve security of the roads.

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