Respite is likely to come the way of motorists and travellers passing through Lokoja-Abuja highway, as the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) will reopen the road today.
Road users plying the highway were stranded when the River Niger overflowed its bank, resulting in the blocking of the road at Okomi and Banda villages by the flood.
Officials of the FRSC had closed the Lokoja-Abuja highway on September 23, 2012, to prevent loss of lives following pressures from passengers and other road users. Presently, construction companies are working on the highway.
One of the officials of the companies working on the project told our correspondent that the assignment would be completed last night, assuring that motorists and passengers can start using the road from this morning.
He pointed out that the little delay was to ensure qualitative work, and assured that even if the volume of water increases,the area would not be flooded again.
Meanwhile, passengers travelling to Abuja and other northern parts of the country now pay N500 to board an engine boat from Kpata area of Lokoja metropolis to Banda, where they would board a vehicle to Abuja.
A passenger, Yunusa Jonah, told our correspondent that he had urgent assignment in Abuja and had no option but to pay the hefty fare.
Meanwhile, the state commissioner of police, Mr. Muhammadu Musa Katsina, has disclosed that the command has deployed Marine Policemen to the area to handle any water emergency, saying the situation at the moment is critical.
He pointed out that adequate security measures have been put in place to protect passengers, vehicles and the construction companies working on the road.
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