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Road users, residents denounce state of Nnamdi Azikiwe byepass
From Christiana T. Alabi, Kaduna
Motorists and residents of Kaduna, capital of Kaduna State, have decried the state of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Expressway, saying the road is characterised by too many potholes.
They said the potholes, which they described as death traps, had actually caused many auto crashes, leading to losses of lives and damage to vehicles.
The Nnamdi Azikiwe Expressway, built to decongest Kaduna city centre, is a popular route for travellers and residents who live around Mahuta, Rigasa, Kabala West, Kagoro, Bakin-ruwa, Dutsinma, Trikania and Kudenda communities, among others.
Mallam Haruna Suleiman, a taxi driver, told our reporter that many car owners and travellers who ply the expressway often suffer tyre damage due to the bad state of the road. “Frequently too, drivers try to dodge the potholes only to collide with other vehicles. Some vehicles have summersaulted on running into the potholes,” he said.
A motorist, Ibrahim Jafar, said, ”I want our leaders to take a visit to Kagoro Junction by the expressway. You will be surprised at what you see. The entire portion of the road at that junction is totally damaged and vehicles find it very difficult to pass through because anytime it rains, that place becomes a river that holds water due to the wide nature of the hole there.”
A motorcyclist, Benedict Iliya, lamented that he lost his younger brother to an auto crash along the expressway. ”A driver was trying to dodge a pothole not knowing my brother was coming behind on a motorbike. The driver hit my brother’s bike and he fell, receiving injury in his head that caused him his life,” Iliya recalled.
When contacted, the spokesperson of the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) in Kaduna, Engineer Sani Abdulkadir, said that repair of the expressway had been captured in the 2016 budget, adding that the headquarters of the agency was currently in the process of awarding contracts.
FG addresses water degradation in N/East
By Hussein Yahaya
The Federal Government will soon begin what it calls Strategic Action Plan for the Development of Water Resources in the Komadugu-Yobe Basin to address water degradation in the North-East.
A statement by Mrs. Margarat E. Umah, Director Information, Federal Ministry of Water Resources, said the government signed the contract agreement at the weekend with SMEC International PTY limited for the project.
The Administrative Secretary of Hadejia Jama’are Komadugu Yobe Basin Trust Fund, Dr. Hassan Bdliya, who signed on behalf of the government, said that the project would address water resources management issues in the basin by applying the integrated water resources management approach with the river basin and costing of viable physical interventions that would enhance livelihoods and ecosystems in the basin.
Dr. Hassan said, “The Project of about 1.9 million Euros, is being supported by the grant from the African Water Facility and managed by the African Development Bank. It would cut across six states in the North-West and North East Zones of the country.”
Speaking on behalf of his company, the Regional Manager- West Africa of SMEC, Mr. Jose Fernandes, commended the Federal Government for the agreement, saying it would go a long way in addressing the many challenges occasioned by degradation of the water and land resources in the basin.
Mr. Fernandes listed the objectives of project to include formulation of the Komadugu-Yobe Basin Water Resources Development Strategic Action Plan (SAP) and development of a modified reservoir operation rules for the re-operations of Tiga and Challawa Gorge Dams that optimize water resources allocation and use.
No part of Nigeria can stand alone -Peace group
From Abubakar Haruna, Minna
The Universal Peace Federation (UPF), a peace building group, has declared that the division of Nigeria being clamoured by some people is counterproductive as no part of the country could be better without the other parts.
The Secretary General of the UPF Nigeria, Dr Raphael Ogar Oko, said this in Minna, Niger state yesterday at the presentation of the 2016 Award of Ambassador for Peace to Reverend Father Christian Levi Achinivu by the UPF and the Muslim Interreligious Peace Foundation.
Dr Ogar Oko insisted that no part of Nigeria could stand alone and remain relevant among the comity of civilized and developed nations.
Citing the United States of America which he said derives its strength from its size and population as well as its human resources, Oko suggested that everything should be done to keep Nigeria one.
He suggested however that governments at all levels should address the grievances of aggrieved segments of the country.
On the awards, Oko said Father Achinivu ‘was found worthy in deeds and character, and he is ready to live his life for the sake of others,’ hence the decision to honour him.
The Catholic Bishop of Minna Diocese, Most Reverend Dr. Martin Uzoukwu commended the ‘devotion to the service to humanity’ of the recipient and urged him not to relent.
The recipient expressed gratitude to God for counting him worthy for such award.
Jibrilla flags off serially abandoned Kiri-Shelleng road project
From Kabiru R. Anwar, Yola
Adamawa State Governor Muhammadu Jibrilla has flagged off the construction of 37-kilometre Kiri–Shelleng road costing N3.2 billion.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony over the weekend in Kiri village, the governor said the project had been abandoned for decades after successive administrations failed to actualise it, adding that the failed attempts by past administrations to construct the Kiri-Shelleng road led to accusations that the project had been used to steal public funds.
Appealing for public support, the governor ?assured the electorate of the administration’s commitment to building of infrastructure, saying he would not relent until campaign promises were fulfilled.
“It is on record that the first attempt at constructing a road to Shelleng when it was under Guyuk Local Government Area in 1996 actually started during the civilian administration of Governor Abubakar Barde of blessed memory. Indeed, Gen. Abdullahi Shelleng of blessed memory also made attempt, Governor Boni Haruna also made attempt without success as well as Governor Murtala Nyako”, Jibrilla stated.
In her speech, the Commissioner for Works, Lilian Stephen, said the contractor, Triacta Nigeria, had been given two years to complete the construction.