Kogi Federal lawmaker calls for rehabilitation of Ejule-Otukpa-Obollo-Afor road

Member representing Idah/Igalamela/Ibaji/Ofu Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. David Idris Zacharias has expressed deep concern over the worsening state of federal road linking his Constituency to Enugu State.

Moved by the pathetic condition of the road with its attendant casualties on the part of motorists, he sponsored a motion on the floor of Green Chambers asking for the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency to rehabilitate the road which he said, would lessen criminality and ease transportation in the area.

Explaining in his motion, the lawmaker regretted that kidnapping, armed robberies and other forms of crimes daily occur due to bad state of the road, noting that if the road was rehabilitated, it would reduce to the barest minimum.

The lawmaker further told the Chambers that the road was on the verge of total collapse, a situation that the zone might be disconnected from other zones of the country.

He said: “Aware that thousands of Nigerians ply the road from Ejule in Ofu Local Government in Kogi East Senatorial district and Otukpa in Benue State on daily basis, as the shortest route to the Federal Capital Territory on the northern part of the country.

“Aware that the same route is utilized by thousands of commuters and motorists who travel to the Southeast, parts of South south and North Central.

“Worried that the route which is a Federal road should not ordinarily be more than 40 minutes drive now takes commuters over two hours drive due to the current state of the road.

“Disturbed that cases of kidnapping are recorded on the road regularly, thereby raising security concerns about safety of commuters plying that route without options in view of the fact that it provides the fast access to the parts of the mentioned above.

Hon Zacharias further recalled the ugly incident in December 2019 that over 16 persons including two pregnant women reportedly died as a result of auto crashes which he asserted, would have been avoided.

After contributions to the debate, Hon. Nnoli Nnaji representing Nkanu East/Nkanu West Federal Constituency sought for amendment to the prayers seeking extension of rehabilitation to Obollo-Afor, stating that, ” the affected portion of

the road was currently unmotorable.”

The House resolved that Kogi State was strategically located as a gate way to Southsouth, Southwest and other places, hence, it adopted all the prayers.

The House in its resolution among others mandated its Committees on Federal Road Maintenance Agency and the Appropriations Committee to make provisions for the rehabilitation of the Ejule-Otukpa road in the 2021 budget.