TheCable

The Niger state government says it will restrict heavy-duty trucks from plying the Minna-Bida road.

This was disclosed in a statement signed by Mary Noel-Berje, chief press secretary to the governor.

Bello had earlier directed that some roads in the state be closed to articulated vehicles to enable repairs, but they were later reopened.

According to the statement, Abubakar Bello, governor of Niger, while touring some of the federal and state-owned roads in the state, said there was a need for urgent interventions on the affected routes.

The tour was also to inspect the ongoing emergency repairs by the state government on the Minna-Suleja federal road.

The governor said the decision to close the routes was taken as a result of the non-intervention of the federal government on rehabilitation of the roads.

“Niger state government is to again, close down the Minna-Bida road to articulated vehicles as nothing is yet to be done two weeks after the state and federal government agreed in a meeting to provide immediate emergency intervention,” the statement read.

While listing the affected federal roads to include Bida-Lapai-Lambata and a section of Mokwa-Tegina-Birnin-Gwari route, the governor noted that the Minna-Bida road needs urgent attention as the portion between Sabon Daga and Kataeregi has collapsed due to the heavy traffic flow of articulated vehicles.

Meanwhile, on the Minna-Suleja road, he said Niger state is yet to be reimbursed by the federal government, particularly on the Farin Doki-Minna route, which formed the basis for the temporal re-opening of the earlier closed road.

Bello assured the people that the state government will continue to make necessary repairs to make life easier for the road users.

Citing the gridlock along Minna-Kontagora route, particularly between Baban Gada and Anguwan Balbela, the statement noted that trailers and petrol tankers get stuck on the muddy part of the road.

Bello lamented that some of the articulated vehicles that ply the road, apart from carrying more than the approved weight, were not roadworthy, “thus causing gridlock and unnecessary hardship for the people”.

He also complained about the slow process of releasing fund to contractors handling construction of federal roads in the state, adding that it is a major obstacle towards the execution of the projects.

Some of the truck drivers urged government at all levels to fast-track work on the roads, as they have lost valuables, and their vehicles have been damaged.

They also appealed to the federal government to fix the Bida-Lapai-Lambata and the Mokwa-Tegina-Birnin Gwari roads.