The Sarari section of the road.
By Dada Ahmed in Ganaja.
Residents of Ganaja, a suburb of Lokoja, capital of kogi state, have again descried the deplorable condition of Ganaja road with passionate appeal to federal government to make it motorable.
They expressed their feeling in separate interview with the Correspondent of The Reporters at Ganaja on Friday.
According to them, they are at verge of being cut off from the rest of the world, noting that the sorry nature of the posed great danger to vehicular and human movement.
Our Correspondent who plied the road on Friday reports that the recent flood in Lokoja which also hit the road increased its dilapidation after the natural disaster receded, causing more potholes and dust,at safari section very close to Ganaja village.
One of the residents of the area,,Mal. Muhammed Hussaini, said: “From the look of things,is like Ganaja village will soon be cut off from the rest of the world as we can no longer move out of the area, on vehicle, with easy.”
Another resident, Hajia Amina Abdullahi, described the road, particularly, the Safari axis, as ” a terrible eye saw not befitting of a state capital.”
A commercial driver, Shittu Ango, noted with regret that the nature of the road has damaged his vehicle, requiring much financial resources to repair to enable him resume work.
“Right now, I have put aside driving and take to farming as the potholes on the road have caused my vehicle serious damage. Since I no longer drive, I have now shifted to farming to feed my family.
Some Kekenapep drivers,who also expressed opinion on the road decried that almost two years after the federal government commenced emergency repairs of the rehabilitation left to be desired.
Consequently, the drivers said they had no option than to double their transport fare to be able to float on their business and make money for repairs and perhaps break even.
Our Correspondent reports that a trip by Kekenapep from Ganaja junction which cost commuters N50, has skyrocketed to N100 while the rate goes up, depending on the distance.
The Reporters recalls that while speaking with on the issue with the online publication about six months ago in a telephone interview,,the Federal Controller of Works for kogi state,Engr.Jimoh Kajogbola, said the emergency rehabilitation of the road was awarded to some contracting companies,one of which is Rufelis.
He said that while other companies completed their work satisfactorily, Rufelis, which handled the axis closed to Ganaja village, could not deliver jis as expected.
Kajogbola further disclosed that the management of the said company was called to the headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Works,Abuja and warned to complete the contract or risk revocation of the contract, our correspondent reports that the Safari axis of the road, which is mostly deplorable, has continued to worsen.
Reacting to Kajogbola’s point,the Chief Executive Officer of Rufelis, who declined disclosing his identity, however, confirmed Kajogbola’s statement.
The contractor said he was betrayed by another man he subcontracted the work to, adding that the man misused the 80 per cent mobilisation money he gave him to do the job among other challenges facing in completing the job.
Feelers from stakeholders in road management and usage in Lokoja and its environs indicate that the hope of having a motorable Ganaja road in 2022, especially from Commissioners’ quarters down to Ganaja village, remains a mirage until the federal government proves them wrong.
They observed that only the 200 unit/Gadumo axis could be said to be effectively motorable as at the time of this report.
Our Correspondent, however, notes that rehabilitation has commenced on one lane of the road; from Baptist High School going towards Ganaja junction in recent time.
