OPENING MINNA-BIDA ROAD FOR HEAVY-DUTY VEHICLES NOT AN OPTION.
The Niger State Government has reiterated its stand on ensuring the completion of the Minna Bida road and that it will not succum to pressure to open up the road for heavy duty vehicle.
In a statement by the Hon Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Muhammad Sani Idris, "the state has so far committed huge sums of money on the reconstruction of the Minna-Bida road, and the project is being handled by one of the best indigenous construction company" and that "the government is determined to ensure the highest possible standard is gotten from the project when completed".
The statement added that "as the reconstruction progresses, ... heavy duty-vehicles will not be allowed to reverse the progress already recorded.
The statement by the commissioner therefore confirms the stands of the Niger State Government to keep the road closed to heavy-duty vehicles.
"The tanker drivers who have taken the laws into their hands and blocking Minna-Bida road entirely and Lambata-Lapai-Bida Road making it completely impossible for smaller vehicles to move is an unfortunate situation".
The statement then explained that "Governor Abu Sani Bello administration is determined to ensure work must continue on the road and as such, opening the Minna-Bida road to heavy-duty vehicles is not an option for now for that would destroy everything the government has done and tax payers money would be wasted redoing what was already done".
The statement further called on "the Federal Government to help not only Nigerlites but the entire country by fixing the trunk A Lambata-Lapai-Bida road and Jenna-Birnin Gwari-Kaduna Road to resolve this issue of heavy duty vehicles regularly damaging the Minna-Bida road".
"As it stands today, the entire stretch of major roads in Niger state are suffering because of these heavy-duty vehicles. Only a few months ago these same vehicles completely destroyed the Minna-Zungeru road, they’ve also destroyed the Bida-Zungeru road and are now looking to hinder the ongoing work on Minna-Bida road. THE STATE GOVERNMENT WILL NOT ALLOW THAT" the statement added.
"So, at this point, we have to be honest to ourselves. We have to appeal to the federal government to intervene and complement the state government in building road infrastructure across the state. Instead of the government to earmark more money to the rehabilitation of Trunk “A” roads, with a backlog of other responsibilities of the state waiting for intervention, all stakeholders must join hands to appeal to the federal government to understand the conditions of the roads" the statement concluded.
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