By Correspondent in Lokoja.
As Federal government approves over N600 billion for the rehabilitation of some roads in the six goe-political zones of the country, residents of Ganaja-Gadumo community in Lokoja, Kogi State, have again appealed to it to complete the rehabilitation of the 10-kilometre Ganaja-Gadumo road it started November 2020.
The residents, in a separate interview with our Correspondent in Lokoja on Friday, expressed dismay that close to one year after the commencement of the road, the rehabilitation had not reached appreciable degree of completion.
One of them, Mr Kadiri Mohammed, said that the non-completion of the road had brought a lot of inconveniences to motorists and commuters plying and transiting the road to other parts of the country.
Contributing,Mrs Agnes Alabi, who said she used to ply the road almost on a daily basis with her vehicle, said her vehicle had gone aground due to constant break down as a result of the deplorable condition of the road.
Giving a graphic description of the of the road, under rehabilitation, Alabi said: “The most annoying thing is that, some of the rehabilitation works were done halfway.
“Take for instance, while coming to Gadumo village on your way to Ganaja village,from Ganaja junction in the town, immediately you pass the bridge heading towards the 200 unit,can see drivers squeezing faces.
“This is because the lane is characterised by ubiquitous potholes that some time, articulated vehicles get break down, thereby obstructing movement of vehicles as well as humans.
“On the contrary, those coming from Ganaja village to the town, after experiencing tough time with potholes upto Tobics electronics plaza in opposite direction, when they get to 200 unit, they usually feel relieved.
“This is because the opposite lane has witnessed an appreciable degree of rehabilitation. This is not how to rehabilitate,to the best of my knowledge.
“Some of us are beginning to think that the road would have been left as it was because the rehabilitation work is not encouraging at all.”
Mumuni Shuaibu, expressed surprise that the contractors had evacuated all their state-of the earth equipment from the road in recent! time,”leaving togues wagging as to what is really happening to the rehabilitation work on this road.
“Should we take it that the rehabilitation has come to an end,” he asked.
Some commercial drivers plying the road and commuters transiting the road to other states also expressed reservation over the stand still nature of work on the road and urged the federal government to complete the road.
“Each time I get to Ganaja road, I become sad because of the deplorable condition of the road and its negative impact on my vehicle and the inconveniences passengers go through plying the road.
“The federal government should please complete this short distance road to put smile on the face of drivers, passengers and other road users,” a South south bound commercial driver, who chose to remain anonymous pleaded in an interview with our Correspondent.
The Reporters gathered that the federal government gave thought to rehabilitating the road to alleviate the suffering of passengers using the facility, especially rainfall which in many cases come with flood.
The online publication recalls that in 2012, human and vehicular movement were seriously impeded with many travellers resorting to the use of canoe from Ganaja village.
This was sequel to the heavy flood that hit more than half of the 21 local government areas of Kogi state, including Lokoja the state capital at that period.
However, an elderly man, whose identity could not be ascertained as at the time of this report, has stepped into the road by providing polliative measures;filling some of potholes at the portion close to 200 units while residents await the resumption of rehabilitation on the road.
The road is a strategic facility that links Lokoja to the eastern part of the state as well as South south and South eastern region of the country.
