KEY POINTS
- NARTO calls for urgent repairs to the Oyo-Ogbomosho highway to prevent potential disasters.
- The deteriorating road condition has caused gridlock, economic losses, and increased safety risks.
- NARTO urges temporary measures and comprehensive repairs to ensure the safety of road users.
The Ministry of Works and the Federal Government have been encouraged by the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) to give the 65-kilometer Oyo-Ogbomosho highway’s immediate renovation first priority.
This request comes in response to growing worries about the road’s poor condition, which presents serious safety hazards, especially for cars transporting petroleum products.
Dangers of delayed repairs
In a letter to David Umahi, the Minister of Works, NARTO President Yusuf Othman emphasized the vital significance of prompt repairs.
Under the heading “Urgent Attention Needed on Oyo-Ogbomosho Highway,” the letter highlighted the road’s declining state, which has caused traffic jams that have left drivers trapped for days.
Othman issued a warning about the possibility of catastrophic outcomes from mishaps involving tankers carrying combustible goods.
“In order to prevent more accidents and guarantee the safety of all road users, this crucial road requires immediate and urgent attention,” Othman stated.
Key economic route in crisis
An important economic route connecting Nigeria’s north and south is the Oyo-Ogbomosho highway. Othman claims that the road’s poor state has increased safety hazards, led to significant delays, and resulted in financial losses, especially for NARTO members that transport petroleum products.
Moreover, he emphasized how this affects the larger populace that depends on the road for everyday tasks.
“Our members are not the only people impacted by the road collapse; the entire population depends on this highway,” Othman clarified.
Preventing future disasters
Othman brought attention to the terrible tragedy in Jigawa State, where more than 90 people were killed in a truck explosion.
According to Punch, he cautioned that a similar catastrophe can occur on the Oyo-Ogbomosho expressway if prompt action is not taken.
We can’t let the past happen again. To avoid another disaster, restoration must be done immediately,” he stated.
Othman demanded in his letter that the existing bottlenecks be addressed immediately while a thorough repair plan is being developed.
Furthermore, he reassured the government that NARTO will assist in putting long-term solutions to Nigeria’s road infrastructure problems into action and expressed faith in the Ministry of Works’ leadership.
