The House of Representatives ad-hoc committee on the recent tragedy at Buruku crossing point on River Katsina-Ala in Benue State, has said that the construction of the bridge was long overdue.
The committee lamented that the bridge was yet to be constructed despite being captured in the national budget over the years.
Our correspondent reports that, at least, 20 people died on October 24, 2018 after a local boat in which they were travelling in capsized in the river Kastina-Ala.
In 2013, a total of 19 people, mostly picnickers died in similar manner on Boxing Day in the same river.
The accident scene, which is about two and half hour drive from Makurdi, the state capital, had become a source of worry to government and people of the state, hence, the HoR set up a committee to look into the recent tragedy after the member representing Buruku at the green chamber, Barr. Emmanuel Orker Jev, brought the matter on the floor of the House.
Deputy Chief Whip and Chairman of the HoR, ad-hoc committee, Pally Iriase, who made the remark at a cocktail party in Makurdi organised by the state government in honour of the committee and that of works on Monday night at Government House, assured that the bridge would be constructed.
Iriase stressed that the construction of a bridge over the river was long overdue.
He said the current National Assembly was sad that the bridge in question had already been captured in the 2009 national budget with a design done but never executed, adding that the loss of lives at the crossing point was preventable.
