In this report, TOPE SUNDAY, assesses the state of some of Nigerian roads
Sometimes in 2018, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, declared that Nigerian roads were not as bad asmany people claimed, saying that what they needed was adequate maintenance at intervals. But, his assertion was disputed by some Nigerians with the argument that the country’s roads are in deplorable conditions.
However, some Nigerians who plied some of the roads during the 2018 end of the year festivities, in a way, disagreed with the both the minister and his critics. Rather, they commended the federal government for its efforts at fixing the country’s roads.
Road users recount experiences
Some Nigerians who travelled during the 2018 end of the year festivities told Blueprint their experiences and expressed satisfaction with what they saw.
An Abuja-based Businessman, Mr Omogbolahan Aina, who just returned from Kwara state, expressed his satisfaction on the rehabilitation of Ilorin-Bode Saadu-Jebba road, which he said, was a death trap before.
Mr Aina, who said that the Ilorin-Abuja trip, which was between eight and 10 hours journey before, is now seven hours.
“The federal government should be commended for its determination to fix some of the Nigerian roads. My experience during the just end of the festivities has clearly shown that there is a great improvement on Ilorin-Abuja route if you approach it from Minna state.
“Except from the Bida-Minna axis of the road that needs urgent rehabilitation, all the portions of the road are in a good condition.
My last trip on the road lasted for almost seven hours contrary to the past when we spent about 10 years to get to our destinations.
“The federal government deserves our commendation because it has really paid a greater attention to the route’’, Mr Sanni said.
Corroborating Aina’s claims, an Ilorin-Abuja bound driver, who identified himself as Lukman, said that the journey of eight to 10 hours with severed pains and fatigue has been reduced to about seven hours with less stress.
“During my Christmas journey to Abuja, I really enjoyed the traffic flow and movement was with ease. There was rapid change on the road and this is really commendable.
“I am very happy because this is an answered prayer. We have prayed for the roads to be fixed and we are happy that President Muhammadu
Buhari’s administration knows exactly what we need. With this development, people can travel without any panic.
“The truth is that I had an ease ride from Ilorin to Abuja. This was made possible by the total rehabilitation done on the Ilorin-Abuja route by the Federal Government. Even, the Suleja-Minna axis that is being rehabilitated is motorable because a portion of the road has been graded for ease movement of vehicles’’, he said.
Another commercial driver, Mr Ogbonna Ikechukwu, also lauded the federal government over its efforts at fixing roads across the country during the just concluded festivities, saying: “I have been traveling for many years now, but in the last two years, roads movement have been much appreciative than before due to the various road constructions embarked upon by the government nationwide.
“The roads used to be scary for us especially during holidays because everybody wants to travel and the roads are always busy. During this holiday season, the traffic flow was very smooth.
A Sokoto resident, Adama Ibrahim, who noted that his friend, Amos Bako, once lost his family members on Zaria-Sokoto road, commended the federal government for the construction of the road.
“Traveling last December from Zaria to Sokoto was the best journey I have had in last few years, and thanks to the road constructed by the federal government. We traveled without cases of accidents like before. The road was smooth and everybody in the car was happy with the development.
“Before now, traveling by road was a nightmare for most of us. At times, we have to take different cars with my wife and children so that if anything happens to one car the others will be safe. This is because of the nature of our bad roads in the past that have killed several families. Few years back, Amos Banko, a dear friend, lost his entire family on their way to the village during Christmas.
Good roads to boost economy
For Abdullahi Ramalan, travelling by roads now comes with ease, adding: “When it comes to roads constructions, we know that the
present administration has been working very hard to properly fix high way roads . You can see that with good roads, farmers are happy, travelers are happy, business men and women are also happy. Our economy will thrive more and our transport system will be more effective than before “.
He reiterated that with the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, “It is a clear sign that our businesses will boom, employment rate will increase. There will be a lot of opportunities for our local contractors, artisans and those that manufacture road construction materials among others.
“I am assuring you that this regime has done a good job and no one can argue it. They have performed more than the past administrations. We also ask that this kind gesture be extended to some parts of the country that are still facing these problems. I would also like to advise the state governors to emulate what the federal government is doing so as to replicate the same in their states,” he said.
On her part, Deborah Keskum said, “I traveled by road to Jos during the Christmas and New year holidays .Our roads have seriously improved as a result of road construction by federal government and have reduced time and activities on the roads were revived .”
“Currently, there are just few potholes in some specific places like Forest ,Hawan- kibo,Riyom and some parts of Sango local government of Kaduna.
“On our way we, saw the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) repairing some of the potholes and by the time we were returning, the roads were very okay. We appreciate the Federal government again for awarding the the Jos road construction”.
Areas for urgent attention
A commercial driver, Mr Kenneth Uzor, said that the Federal government has delivered on roads compare to past governments, adding, “driving from Abuja to Abaji is a smooth journey. But when you reach Lokoja, Egbe and Okene, the roads are terribly bad. But if you continue the journey to another point like Obajana, the road is good. It is a quality road construction with cement. It is really good.
“From Porth Harcourt to Aba, the roads have really improved than before. Kudos to the present administration and the ministry of Power, Works and Housing’’, he said.
On his part, a Corps member, Seyi Akinyemi, said that government has ‘aggressively’ addressed road infrastructure repairs, rehabilitation and construction across the country.
He said traveling from Lafia in Nasarawa state through Benue to Anambra state has revealed the achievements of the present administration in terms of road construction.
“The current administration has brought in its own ingredients of success to change the faces of our roads . This shows that promises made in May 2015 as regards developing road infrastructure has been achieved while closing the infrastructural gap’’, Akinyemi said.
