- Bauchi Governor pledges support to repair the road
The federal highway connecting Gombe-Bauchi has been cut off as a result of torrential rainfall on Sunday morning.
Bauchi State Governor Bala Abdulkadir Muhammad who visited the scene, pledged support to repair the road within one week so that motorist can pass through.
The incident happened in Kalajanga village, Bara ward in Kirfi Local Government Area of Bauchi State, where a big culvert was washed away by heavy downpour.
Commuters plying the road from Plateau to Bauchi, Gombe and Yola are bearing the brunt of this terrible situation, with many left stranded.
Some motorists coming from Gombe axis had to turn back and follow Dukku-Darazo road.
This has become a recurring decimal for the North East community every rainy season for several years.
Assessing the damage done by flood, Governor Bala Mohammed called on the Federal Government to review the rehabilitation of the Bauchi-road project awarded in 2018.
“The present situation of the road is worrisome considering the hardship motorist and residents of the area are battling with and asked for the immediate intervention of the Federal Government,” he said.
He said, the road links the three geopolitical zones together, hence the need to overhaul it to reduce the number of deaths and accidents on the course.
Governor Bala called on motorists and citizens to exercise patience, and pledged to come to their rescue by working with relevant authorities to mitigate the effects the damage has caused.
He pledged to provide all the needed support to the contractor handling the project to at least fix the road within a week.
Governor Bala said the corridor connects North East, North West and North Central because the road is dead.
He said the pledge by the contractor to fix the road temporarily so that motorists can pass within three days rekindled his hope and pledged to take up the matter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima.
The contractor handling the project Engineer Abraham said they have mobilised a lot of manpower, machines and all necessary working tools needed to fix the road and open it on Wednesday.16th August 2023.
District Head of Kirfi Alhaji Muhammad Lawal said the immediate visit of the governor to the community to commiserate with them raised their hope that the road will be repaired and thanked the Governor for his support.
