Fix federal roads in Niger state, NARTO appeals to FG
By Al-Sirajdeen Alhameed, Minna//:
A passionate appeal has been made to the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency, to assist in the repair of federal roads in Niger State to alleviate the plight of motorists plying the roads.
The Niger state chairman of the Nigeria Association of Road Transport Owners, NARTO, Alhaji Hassan Usman Shiroro, made the appeal in an exclusive interview with IDEALPOSTS in Minna at the weekend.
He explained that most of the Federal roads that link Niger State to other parts of the country are in pitiable and deplorable state which needed urgent federal government attention, stressing the need for the government to urgently intervene.
According to him, “The strategic position of Niger state cannot be overemphasize as most of the vehicles pass through the state to some Southern parts of the country”
He stated that the deplorable state of federal roads across Niger state has taken unprecedented lives in recent times, hence the urgent need for the federal government intervention to reduce the monumental carnages on the roads.
Hassan Shiroro, noted that Governor Abubakar Sani Bello was doing all he could to ensure the repair of the Federal roads in the state, saying that the resources are not enough for him to repair most of the Federal roads in the state.
“Niger State has the largest land mass in the country which has made it compulsory for most vehicles pass through the state to southern part of the country.
“So we are appealing to the federal government under the leadership of President Mohammed Buhari to as a matter of urgency assist the state governor, Abubakar Sani Bello to repair these roads to reduce carnages on our roads” he said.
He explained that, Minna- Bida, Lapai- Lambata roads, Tegina Makera -Birni Gwari roads are all the major federal roads that link the South to Northern part of the country through Niger state which are all in pathetic state, adding that if urgent steps were not taken, it will continue to claim many lives.
“We have lost several lives as a result of the deplorable state of our roads in Niger State. No road in Niger state is motorable. You can even see what happened in Lapai road that two tankers had head on collusion in the early hours of last week.
Honestly, heavy duty vehicles and other road users in Niger State that ply these roads are passing through hectic situations. We are appealing to the federal government to assist us because, Niger State is so strategic to the socio economy development to this country” he observed.