By Dada Ahmed in Lokoja.
An expert in criminologist,Mr Opaluwa Eneoja,has described most fedeat roads in Kogi State as nightmare and a dens of armed robbers with a call on the government to reverse the ugly trend in the interest of life of the commuters and plying the roads before it gets beyond totable proportion.
Comrade Opaluwa Eleoja.
Comrade Opaluwa Eleojo,who is also a
member, Road Users Development Network of Nigeria,an NGO, based in Abuja,made the call in a statement he signed and made available to The Reporters,an online publication on Sunday in Lokoja.
“I write to express my sadness and disappointment on the state of federal roads in Kogi state. Worthy of mention is the Abaji-Lokoja – Okene – Auchi – Benin Road, the Okene – Ibilo – Akure Road, the Kabba – Ilorin Road, Kabba-Omuo-Ekiti Road,to mention but a few.
“Apart from the roads turned to death traps to motorists and commuters, they have become a source of encouragement to kidnappers and robbers to freely carryout their heinous and nefarious criminal acts.
“We are tied of this urgly situation in the state and request the quick intervention of government and its agencies in this regard through their rehabilitation, especially as we approach the Yuletide season.
“Kogi is the only state in Nigeria that connects the South and Northern Nigeria, sharing boundary with eleven states and therefore deserves to have good Federal roads.
A stitch in time safes nine,”he said.
Eleojo stressed the for the government to extend ITAKPE – AJAOKUTA – WARRI RAIL LINE TO LOKOJA to boost the social and economic activities in the state.
The member of the NGO,who expressed gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari for bringing to completion, the Itakpe-Ajaokuta-Warri Rail line, 34)l yeara after it was conceived said the extension,if implemented,”the project will in no small measure affect the lives of the residents of kogi, Edo and Delta states positively.
“The benefits of the rail line cannot be made complete until it is extended to Lokoja, the kogi state capital.
The extention of the rail track will boost commercial and tourism activities in Lokoja and its environs, thereby increasing revenue to the state government.
“Product such as cement from the Obajana cement factory can be transported through the rail transport, thereby decongesting the road and further reduce road crashes and the incessant robbery and kidnapping of motorists and commuters along that corridor.
“I call on kogi state government to without delay add her voice to this call.
Eleojo,who is also an indigene of Kogi State, however, expressed concern that the Ajaokuta- Anyigbs- AnkpaK-Otukpo Rail Track had remained an unrealized dream,35 years it was conceived.
“I want to draw the attention of the federal government through the Honorable Minister of Transport to the above mentioned project that has been left unattended to after thirty five years.
“The abandoned rail track will connect the North East and South East to the south western part of the country through the central states.
“The abundance of coal deposit in Okaba and its environs can be transported through this rail track to any part of the country for power generation, thereby adding to the little megawatts in existence in the Grid system.
“The economic effect of its completion cannot be over emphasized as it will boost commerce within that corridor.
“It is my earnest desire that the federal government considers the above in the 2022 budget,”he added.
Our Correspondent, however,noted that the Felele road,a federal facility in Lokoja, notorious for its incessant ghastly motor accident, particularly the articulated vehicles few years ago, has reduced such unfortunate incident, as a result of its rehabilitation by the federal government.
Investigation by our Correspondent revealed that the bumps constructed on the road has reduced speed by drivers as well as accident, especially drivers descend the road.
