A measure of relief is on the way for motorists plying through Lokoja as the Kogi State government has deployed equipment to site to open up the Ganaja Village Road that had impaired intra-city movement of vehicles due to flooding for a couple of months.
The road, which serves as a major link between the North and Eastern parts of the country, was washed away by flood a couple of months ago, trapping several trucks along the road leading to Ajaokuta and the South East.
LEADERSHIP had last week highlighted the socio-economic pains being suffered by both motorists and those living along the routes leading to Ganaja village, Ajaokuta and the Southeastern parts of the state and the country.
As the deluge lasted, movement within the state capital Lokoja was seriously impaired but now heavy duty equipment have been moved to site to commence work on the failed sections of the road.
Even the alternative route through 500 housing estate units is being given facelift, and graded for easy accessibility during the rehabilitation works.
Kogi State commissioner for works and housing, Abubakar Ohere, in an interview with journalists shortly after moving of equipment to site prior to the commencement of work, paid tribute to residents of the community for their self-efforts to fix portions of the road.
Abubakar said that the state government was putting the palliative works in place in partnership with the community through the Kogi State Road Maintenance Agency, KOGROMA, adding that what is needed in the present circumstances is a synergy that works.
The commissioner said even though the Ganaja road is a federal road, the economic importance of the route to the state and the nation cannot be overruled; therefore the state government cannot afford to fold its arms without making efforts to make the road passable as a gateway to the Eastern parts of the country.
The State House of Assembly had during the plenary on Tuesday directed the committee on works of the Assembly to invite the commissioner of works in the state to appear before the Assembly to explain why major roads in Lokoja have suffered untold neglect.
Credit: Leadership Newspapers
