Distressed motorists and residents in 14 northern states have taken the plight of the deplorable state of federal roads to President Bola Tinubu and the minister of works, Engr David Umahi.
An investigation by LEADERSHIP within the 19 northern states confirmed that contracts for deserted freeway initiatives had been awarded approach again to the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Others had been awarded 10 years in the past and abandoned halfway by the administrations of former President Goodluck Jonathan and his successor, Muhammadu Buhari.
Apart from Borno State, whose report was not obtainable as of the time of compiling this report final evening, different states lined have between two and 10 deserted or deplorable street initiatives.
Nonetheless, 4 states – Kaduna, Kebbi, Taraba, and Zamfara – have the fewest deserted roads, whereas Kwara State has the best variety of street initiatives being executed by the federal authorities below the Tinubu presidency.
In Katsina State, there are few federal roads in deplorable circumstances, with most requiring pressing rehabilitation.
The Katsina-Kano Street, awarded for dualisation by the earlier administration, stays uncompleted, halted at Gidan Mutun Daya.
The Mararaba Kankara-Kankara City Street is presently below rehabilitation, however different crucial routes are both in disrepair or occupied by terrorists, making journey perilous.
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The Funtua-Sheme Freeway has been in a state of disrepair for an prolonged interval, exacerbated by frequent kidnappings within the space.
Equally, the Dutsinma-Kankara Freeway, though well-maintained, has develop into a hazard zone resulting from bandits ambushing motorists and whisking them away to Rugu Forest.
In Zamfara State, the Jibiya to Kaura Namoda freeway, as soon as thought of a protected and direct route connecting Katsina and Zamfara states, has been deserted resulting from rampant banditry.
In 2020, the state authorities declared it a no-go space, barring motorists from utilizing the route as a result of excessive danger of assaults.
In Niger State, nearly all federal roads are in unhealthy form, with some taken over by the state authorities.
The Suleja-Minna street has been below building for over 10 years, deserted by the contractor for 3 years earlier than resumption of works about two years in the past. Even at that, LEADERSHIP’s findings revealed that the state authorities had taken over the duty of establishing the remaining elements of the street from Kakaki in Paikoro native authorities to Minna, the state capital, resulting from gradual tempo of labor.
Equally the Agaie-Bida portion of the Lambata-Bida street remains to be in unhealthy form regardless of the award of contracts about 5 years in the past, the identical factor Mokwa-Jebba, Mokwa-Bokani-Tegina and Minna-Tegina-Kontagora roads.
Niger State authorities has additionally just lately taken over the development of the Kontagora-Rijau street from the federal authorities, because the contractor deserted the street for years.
Equally, the deliberate Minna-Sarikin Pawa street began by the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo has been deserted for 20 years whereas it isn’t clear whether or not the contract for Mokwa-New Bussa roads, now in a dilapidated state, was awarded.
Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago has been emphatic that his authorities will proceed to intervene the place vital and anticipate a refund from the federal authorities.
Makes an attempt to get the state controller of labor was abortive, however a senior officer who prefers anonymity mentioned the gradual tempo of labor and outright abandonment of roads had been resulting from funding points.
In Plateau State, Jos-Akwanga, Bauchi to Gombe, and Panbegwa roads in Kaduna state which go by means of Saminaka to Jingir and Vom Manchok roads, amongst others, are federal roads that had been lengthy deserted and in want of pressing intervention.
Moreover, the Forest Hawan-Kibo street to Jos, though it obtained some intervention final yr, must be dualised to maximise its potential as one main route connecting the north-eastern a part of Nigeria.
For the time being, these roads are death-traps for commuters, a den of armed robbers and kidnappers, who lay siege to the unhealthy sections of the roads, ready for unsuspecting motorists to assault.
In accordance with the previous chairman of NTA Motor Park in Jos, Alhaji Maikudi, for over 20 years now, the deplorable state of the Jos-Kaduna and lots of different highways has pressured motorists to search out different routes between the 2 cities.
LEADERSHIP discovered that 4 building corporations had been awarded the contract for rehabilitating these roads in March 2020.
The federal controller of Works, Engr. Abubakar Majin, mentioned the federal government is doing its finest to make sure the upkeep of those roads however is constrained by the paucity of funds.
He maintained that COVID-19 lockdown didn’t assist issues because it made it tough for the federal government to get these engaged on the street to website.
Our correspondent’s investigation additionally revealed that contractors dealing with the rehabilitation works on these roads have left the positioning, and motorists persistently groan concerning the poor situation of those roads.
In accordance with a supply from FERMA, whose identify won’t be talked about as a result of he’s not permitted to talk, mentioned: “At present, the 2023 appropriation, the initiatives earmarked for Plateau State have been concluded; we did some pothole patching works alongside the Jos -Jingri street, Jos-Heipang-Barkin Ladi street, Jos-Bauchi Street and a number of others.”
Moreover, Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang had earlier, at a media parley with Journalists on the New Authorities Home, expressed pleasure over the deliberate rehabilitation work by the Federal Roads Upkeep Company (FERMA) on the Heipang to Shendam and Lafia Pandam, Kurgwi street to Langtang areas.
“I’ve been knowledgeable that very quickly FERMA will begin rehabilitation of Heipang, right down to Shendam and to Langtang axis; that’s simply patching of potholes in direction of harm limitation,” he said
“We will probably be pursuing the dualisation of that street, Heipang-Shendam, Pandam-Langtang and we hope we’ll get the company of the Federal authorities in that regard, he mentioned.
In Jigawa State, there are seven federal roads, 5 of that are below reconstruction, however all the development companies had deserted the websites.
The deserted roads embrace Kano Shuwarin street, Kwanar Dumawa- Babura- Babban Mutum street, Gaya-ahun Kafin Hausa street, Kano- Kazaure-Daura Street and Kano- Gumel- Malam Madori – Hadejia roads.
The work at Hadejia-Unguru street and Shuwarin Azare street was accomplished and handed over to the federal authorities.
The deserted initiatives had been awarded at completely different occasions, similar to Gaya—Jahun Kafin, for which the contract began over 17 years in the past. At present, the work on the website has not reached 17 kilometres.
Nonetheless, all efforts to get a response from the Federal Management Works in control of Jigawa State had been abortive as his didn’t decide calls to his telephone, and his textual content message didn’t undergo.
Our correspondent can report that 5 federal government-owned roads believed to be strategic to the motion of commuters, items, and companies to different elements of the nation are in deplorable circumstances in Nasarawa State.
They embrace Wamba-Wanse, Akwanga-Jos-Bauchi-Gombe, Keffi-Nasarawa-Toto, Keffi-Kaduna and Lafia-Shendam respectively.
An investigation by LEADERSHIP revealed that contracts for the rehabilitation and outright reconstruction of among the affected roads had been awarded by the federal authorities at completely different occasions however deserted in some unspecified time in the future.
In late 2014, Messers Uniglobe Building Engineering Restricted was awarded the contract for the development of the 49-kilometre Wamba-Wanse street, linking Nasarawa to Plateau state. With contract quantity 6258, the mission which commenced on twenty fourth January 2015 and anticipated to be accomplished on twenty ninth June 2019 at the price of US $39.7m.
Nonetheless, about 9 years down the road, the mission is but to efficiently take off, dashing the hope of benefiting communities alongside the route.
Not like the Wamba-Wanse street, which is a brand new building, the Keffi-Keffi-Nasarawa-Toto street was a rehabilitation. However just like the latter, it was additionally deserted after its contract was awarded.
Findings by LEADERSHIP indicated that the Federal Govt Council (FEC) accredited N36.130 billion for rehabilitating the 118.9km street in April, 2022 below the quick previous administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
There may be nothing to indicate for the job, with a mission code of ERGP12174243 awarded to M/c Wizchino Engineering Ltd three years later, though the agency has since deserted the positioning altogether.
Regardless of the anomaly fund has continued to be allotted to the mission as examine by our correspondent has proven.
In July 2022, Wizchino Engineering Restricted was paid N179.5m for the job. Equally, in 2023, N200m was allotted to the mission.
Just like the Keffi-Nasarawa-Toto mission, that of Lafia-Shendam in Plateau State was tagged common upkeep/repairs. It’s overseen by the Federal Street Upkeep Company since 2009 however the street has remained in deplorable situation.
Report by a well-liked nationwide tv, TVC, indicated that between 2021 to 2023, the sum of N360 million was allegedly launched to 4 completely different contractors for the job.
“Statistics from the Open Treasury Platform and BudgIT reveal that, in March 2023 the Federal Authorities by means of FERMA paid the sum of N78m to Basic Marvel Nigeria Restricted for common upkeep repairs.
“In August 2022, the sum of 122 million naira was paid by FERMA to Quantum Mechanics Restricted for rehabilitation of the street.
“Within the months of June and October 2021 a complete sum of N134 million naira was paid by FERMA to Mainstream Contractors Nigeria for the emergency repairs of the street and in July the identical yr the sum of N32m was paid to Sahar Continental Restricted for upkeep,” the report alleged.
Nonetheless, the street remained in a deplorable state with yawning potholes which represent threats to motorists alongside the route.
Regardless of its state, funds are nonetheless being appropriated for the mission. Our correspondent gathered that N410 million was earmarked for the mission, with a mission code, ERGP12207492 in 2024.
For the 420.6 kilometre Akwanga-Jos-Bauchi-Gombe street, the Federal Govt Council accredited N348.5 billion for its enlargement in August, 2018.
In accordance with then minister of energy, works and housing, Babatunde Fashola, the mission had a contract length of 48 months. Nonetheless, six years after, the mission has not commenced.
Controller Works within the Federal Ministry of Works within the state, Engineer Daikwo Idah, confirmed that Wamba-Wanse, Keffi-Nasarawa-Toto, Nasarawa-Loko and Lafia Bypass roads had been below the direct supervision of his ministry.
He attributed the setback to the non-payment of contractors, poor budgetary provisions, and improper design benchmarks.
Because of the authorities’s negligence, federal highways linking Bauchi and different states have develop into demise traps for street customers.
Federal Street Security Corps (FRSC) information point out that in 2021, about 413 folks died and a couple of,157 others sustained varied levels of accidents. The figures had been recorded from about 480 crashes on Bauchi federal highways.
In 2022, about 110 folks had been killed in about 266 deadly crashes whereas 1,022 folks had been variously injured. Equally, in 2023, about 204 passengers died from January to September this yr in Bauchi whereas 679 had been injured to numerous levels.
These accidents had been recorded on deplorable federal highways in Bauchi.
For example, the Bauchi-Gombe Expressway has develop into fully deplorable and unfriendly to motorists. The 157km stretch of street inflicts harm to automobiles, leaving drivers and automobile house owners with no choice however to spend worthwhile sources to fix their automobiles.
For 2 consecutive years, two bridges at Bara and Kaljanga communities alongside the street had been minimize off, forcing drivers to take longer routes both approach. Because of this, passengers had been made to pay exorbitant fares.
The Bauchi-Jos Street has been a significant headache for street customers due to its deplorable situation. Additionally, the Bauchi-Kano freeway is one other unhealthy street that constitutes a stumbling block to street customers.
Whereas the Bauchi-Maiduguri street seems to be pretty good, portholes are already dotting the street, thereby threatening the protection and well-being of people that use it.
Just lately, the Bauchi State Authorities reconstructed elements of the Bauchi-Kano and Bauchi-Maiduguri roads, however what was achieved didn’t cowl all the stretch of the roads.
The one federal street in Sokoto state that has been in unhealthy form for years is the Gusau—Sokoto federal freeway, which hyperlinks Zamfara to Sokoto state.
Nonetheless, palliative reconstruction on some portion of the freeway with two bridges on the Zamfara facet occurred in the course of the administration of former Governors Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto state and Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara state.
Nonetheless, the present administration is reconstructing the street, this time with concrete pavement ranging from the Sokoto finish of the freeway.
Officers of the Sokoto State Ministry of Works, who spoke to our correspondent on the situation of anonymity, applauded the federal authorities for embarking on whole reconstruction of the freeway and additional advocated efficient supervision and well timed completion of the job, in accordance with specs.
The Gombe-Yola Freeway, first awarded in 1999 by President Olusegun Obasanjo, was deserted for a few years, and work periodically started slowly.
The 66.10 kilometre Gombe-Yola Freeway, nonetheless below building, has develop into a nightmare for motorists and commuters for years.
The reconstruction work was awarded in 2014 however couldn’t start till 2015, when technical points related to the mission had been mounted. The street mission was alleged to have been accomplished in 2019. Nonetheless, inadequate budgetary provisions and launch of funds, in addition to the COVID-19 pandemic, made it tough to finish it on the stipulated time for former minister Isa Ali Ibrahim.
In Yobe State, the part of the twin carriage street that hyperlinks the Worldwide Airport in Damaturu, Yobe State, and the development of a 25.5-kilometre twin carriageway connecting Damaturu, the capital of Yobe State, to the worldwide airport within the state, have stalled.
The residents mentioned they’re uncovered to hazards all through their day by day actions. Among the residents who spoke to LEADERSHIP in Damaturu, mentioned in 2018, the Yobe State Authorities awarded N4.9 billion for street building to Rick Rock Building Restricted, a Plateau-based firm.
In Kaduna State, the one federal street that appeared deserted earlier than the current minister just lately assured that work would resume is the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano freeway.
The Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, disclosed final Tuesday at a gathering with contractors in Abuja that work on the freeway will resume this week.
On why it was paused, he defined that it was resulting from disagreements over value variations, delays, and funding challenges between the federal government and the contractors. He, nevertheless, mentioned that the ministry had resolved the excellent challenges with the contractors dealing with the mission.
He mentioned President Tinubu is dedicated to delivering street initiatives throughout Nigeria.
Two dilapidated deserted federal roads in Taraba state are the Wukari-Jalingo freeway and Jalingo-Numan federal street.
Although the Wukari-Jalingo, with its dilapidated situation, has not been awarded by the federal authorities, the Jalingo-Numan federal street was awarded to Deux Venture Nig. Ltd in 2017 at the price of N11bn to be accomplished in 20 months.
The FERMA workplace, situated at Nukai alongside Jalingo Wukari street, found that the controller was out of the state for an official go to to Abuja.
Taraba State Governor Agbu Kefas just lately promised to take over the development of some federal roads to ease the folks’s sufferings.
In Zamfara State, a lot of the federal roads are in good situation excluding about 80-kilometre Magami-Dangulbi-Dankurmi to Anka federal roads, the contract of which was awarded by the earlier administration of Governor Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar.
The contracts for the development of the federal roads, which had been awarded within the yr 2016, couldn’t be accomplished resulting from fixed assaults by the bandits and kidnapping of the employees f the corporate.
Then again, nevertheless, the contract for the development of about 132.7 kilometre Gusau – Dansadau – Birnin Gwari border federal roads, which was initially deliberate for building by the earlier administration of Governor Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar administration, to be awarded to a Chinese language firm couldn’t be executed until the tenure of the administration ended.
Kebbi State has 10 federal roads; of them, solely two had been deserted. The remaining eight had been in fine condition, which the federal authorities, by means of Federal Street Upkeep Company (FERMA), normally repaired.
Generally, the state authorities will rehabilitate them and later get refunded them by the federal authorities.
At present, there are two deserted federal roads within the state, Malando-Warrah- Ngaski and Koko-Mahuta-Dabai Federal roads.
The current administration of Governor Nasir Idris Kauran Gwandu has taken a daring step to reconstruct them and later get reimbursed by the federal authorities.
FG Executing 18 Street Tasks In Kwara
In the meantime, the federal authorities is presently executing 18 street initiatives in Kwara State, LEADERSHIP has gathered.
The roads below building embrace the 42.5-kilometre Eiyenkorin-Afon-Ojoku-Offa-Odo Otin, Lafiagi-Shonga-Bacita (74.3km); Bode Saadu-Kaiama-Kosubosu(128km), and Okuta-Gwanara-Bukuro (37km).
The contractors are on website for building work to ship the initiatives on the stipulated occasions.
Nonetheless, contractors have stopped work on two federal roads within the state. The roads are the Ilorin—Omu-Aran-Egbe-Kabba street, which had been lined for a couple of kilometres, and the Share-Patigi street, which was awarded in 2017.
The 2 roads pose risks to commuters’ lives because the broken parts of the roads have develop into demise traps.
The minister of works, David Umahi, throughout a latest go to to Ilorin, mentioned the ministry had 18 federal initiatives in Kwara State, saying extra efforts will go into a few of them which can be deemed to be behind their implementation schedules.
“We’re going to have interaction with the governor, commissioner for works, the federal controller of works, and the ministry, and evaluation the initiatives and provides them priorities,” Umahi mentioned.
“4 initiatives are ongoing on tax credit score with BUA in Kwara. They’ve assured me that these initiatives will probably be delivered quickly. They’re all authorities initiatives below President Tinubu. They aren’t social service initiatives from the corporate. We’re the one funding them below a special funding mechanism,” the minister said.
