KEY POINTS
- The Nigerian Senate has called on the Minister of works, Mr David Umahi over nonimplementation of the Ogbomoso/Oyo road project.
- Abandonment of road projects has caused accidents, traffic congestion and business losses.
- Federal Government wanted to complete the road’s rehabilitation to avoid further destructions.
The Senate today in plenary mandated the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, to appear before it to explain why the contractor handling the Ogbomoso-Oyo Federal Road project has left the site. Announcement of the directive was done on Wednesday after a motion was moved by Senator Abdulfatai Buhari, APC, Oyo North during plenary. The Senators Committee on Works which is chaired by Senator Barinada Mpigi (PDP, Rivers South-East) has been mandated to find out why the project was abandoned.
The Upper Chamber also urged the Federal Government to hasten the reconstruction of the old Ogbomoso-Oyo road to forestall such mishap. These resolutions of the Senate were made following a sad incident in which a petrol tanker exploded and caused traffic jams and the displacement of the residents of the affected area with many people getting killed on the road.
Excessive traffic along the roads affecting the neighboring societies
Senator Abdulfatai Buhari while presenting the motion noted that movement of goods and people is crucial especially through efficient transport system. He drew the attention of the public to the fact that residents of Ogbomoso are facing a very serious crisis mainly as a result of the ongoing road reconstruction exercise since year 2007 and the diversion of the commuters on the old Ogbomoso-Oyo road. The latter which is known as the Takie-Bowen-Seminary-Emayo-Caretaker Federal Road has proven propensity to reduced capacity to containing the increased volumes of articulators of commerce through their overall destining in substantial proportions.
“The Federal Government awarded various segments of the Ogbomoso-Oyo road to various contractors due to haste in the completion of the project.” However, while other sections have been completed the contractor whom was to work on this section of the road has pulled out.” Senator Buhari stated. He decried the current state of the old Ogbomoso-Oyo road noting that the development was as a result of abandoning the road as a temporary diversion.
Another segment of Senate urged for speedy performance
The senate has concerns on the increasing rate of accidents that occur on the affected roads which have transformed the the route to a deathly zone. For the past few days, more than ten accidents have been reported with several people getting injured, some even losing their lives while the business ripple effects are felt. The breakage of Ogbomoso-Oyo road affects the operation between the northern and the southern part of Nigeria where perishable goods are transported in large quantities and some shipment experience total loss.
According to Vanguard, Sen.Buhari called for an accelerated work in order to bring comfort to suffering people and give the project a final push. The Senate requested the Minister of Works to explain the cause of these delays and to offer means to possibly resume and execute this project to bring order and security on this important transit area.
