Matthew Onah
27 October 2008
Lagos — When the Minister of Transportation, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Maduekwe visited Adamawa State in 2007 at the inception of President Umaru Yar'Adua's administration, she was not happy with the horrible nature of the roads in the North-eastern states. In a courtesy call to the Adamawa State Governor, Admiral Murtala Nyako (rtd) the Honourable Minister described the Yola - Gombe Road as one of the worst in the country.
Allison -Maduekwe said then that the situation of the road would amount to a failure in leadership if the situation was allowed to continue, and pledged to Governor Nyako she would do all within her power to ameliorate the deplorable road condition. The Numan - Gombe Road is just one example of the terrible and worsening conditions of roads throughout the country.
The issue of good road network across the country and its importance to the socio-economic development of the country cannot be overemphasised. Right from time, the establishment of city centers and the flourishing of civilization had always been conditioned on the mode of transportation prevalent at the era. The development of commerce have always revolved around the movement of goods and services.
It was therefore not surprising when the people of Numan and its environs led by their first class traditional ruler, Homun Asaph Zadok turned out en-masse to pour encomiums on a road construction company, Triacta Nigeria Limited and the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) North-East Zonal Office, headquartered in Bauchi for the completion of the Numan bridge head bye-pass reconstruction, a stretch of about 1.65 Kilometers.
Perhaps, in realization of Mrs. Alison-Maduekwe's promise on the Numan-Gombe road, the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) mobilized to site and have been very active on Jalingo - Numan Road and on Numan-Gombe Road especially along the Kaltungo - Billeri stretch.
According to Mr. Ejike Egbemina, the FERMA zonal director in-charge of North-east, the design of the Numan-Gombe Road was for 10-15 years lifespan and that the last major reconstruction of the road was over 25 years ago and that it was not surprising therefore that there were multiple failures on the road.
He said another major design fault was the fact that the road was constructed on par with water table with little drainage facilities. He added that during rains, therefore, water accumulates in cracks which weaken the under soil of the roads and thereby giving rise to failures and portholes.
He said that the Numan-Gombe road had not been strengthened since it was built in 1976. Also speaking, the zonal site engineer, Mr. Briye Vanokah said another major problem on the Numan-Gombe Road was the near absence of good laterite soil to compact the road. He said the cost of road construction in the area normally shot-up because they have to truck quality laterite from far away places for road construction and maintenance along the Numan-Gombe road.
But for the Hamman Bachama and his people, the re-construction of the Numan bridge head bye-pass, stretching from Mbalang, down to the Numan Jalingo roundabout has re-invented the economic portential of one of the major towns in Adamawa State.
According to Mr. Andrew Osso, an assistant director with the Numan LGA council, the reconstruction of the bridge head of Numan by FERMA, has given a new impetus to the economic activities of the local and its surrounding local governments as it is the hub of activities in other local governments. Osso said the re-construction of the bridge head had also reduced road accidents within the township especially the motor cycles.
Mr. Linus Pwafkadi, another staff of the local government council praised FERMA for the job well done. He said the dusty nature of the road before now had contributed in sending many people to the hospital for asthma and brochea diseases.
A PDP stalwart from Adamawa, Alhaji Yakubu Numun, who hails from Numan said the Numan road bridgehead was long overdue for reconstruction and commended FERMA for rising to the challenge. He stated that Numan is a network town that leads to Guyuk, Shelleng, Lamurde local governments council areas and serves as an access road to Taraba State and Biu in Borno State, adding that the reconstruction of the road was a right step in the right direction by the Federal Agency.
He however appealed to FERMA to quickly work on the bridge embarkment with a view towards streghntening it so that it will not be washed away in the near future. The Numan experience is not an isolated case in the efforts of FERMA to give remedial assistance to road constructions in the North-East, Alhaji Ahmed Umar, commended FERMA for patching the road along Ngulore to Mayo-Belwa. Another stretch of road of about 87 kilometres, which linked adamawa state to Taraba state through Zing.
According to Engr. Vanoka, the contract for the Yola-Numan road had been awarded PW Nig. Ltd, but due to one reason or the other the company had not mobilized to site. He said with effect from November the project would be given to another company so that they could begin work on the site in earnest. He said the cost of the Yola Numan Road is far above the scope of work that can be handled by FERMA. Vanokah said FERMA is determined to make a difference now.
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