Residents of Dukku local government area of Gombe state have decried the deplorable condition of the road linking the community to the state capital.
According to some motorists, the Dukku-Gombe journey, which was barely 50 minutes before the deterioration of the road, now stretches to about 2hours, leaving both passengers and drivers frustrated.
First constructed in the 1980s, the Gombe-Dukku-Darazo road was rehabilitated in the early 2000s, but later suffered neglect even as it served as a major route for travellers from Adamawa, Taraba, Jigawa, Kano, Bauchi, among others.
Repair bills gulping our earnings - Commercial Drivers
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Usman Abubakar, a 45-year-old driver with 19 years of experience, said he faced numerous challenges plying the Dukku-Gombe road, lamenting how the poor state of the road leads to frequent repairs and sometimes total breakdowns.
He said, "Honestly, the road is in a very bad condition. Before the road deteriorated to this level, the journey would take around 45 minutes at a moderate speed of 80-100 km/hour, but now even drivers who are used to the road take around 1 hour 40 minutes, while others may take over 2 hours. Some, especially those who are not familiar with the road take even longer than that.
"There are potholes all over. For example, from Tongoyel to Bojude and Bozonshulwa is completely worn out. Only well-serviced vehicles in top condition can withstand the harsh condition of the road. Sometimes while traveling early in the morning, you will pass by many stranded cars that couldn't make it due to breakdowns. The poor road condition leads to frequent repairs, with parts like shock absorbers and windshields wearing out rapidly.
"Before, your shock absorbers would last two years, but now they won't last more than three months. Hitting the potholes also damages your windshield.
"A good used windshield now costs ₦90,000 and lasts barely two weeks without developing cracks, while shock absorbers, which previously cost ₦6,000, now sell for ₦42,000. Car kingpin, which used to cost ₦4,000, now goes for ₦12,000."
Further narrating his ordeal, Abubakar recounted his recent accident when his car darted off the road and entered the bush after he lost control.
"Personally, I have had three accidents in the past two months, including a recent breakdown where I damaged my kingpin, burst a tire (which now sells around ₦60,000), and destroyed a shock absorber (which is about₦45,000). The kingpin alone now costs ₦12,000, against its former price of ₦4,000. Upon hitting a pothol, I lost control and the car darted off the road to the bush."
For Abubakar Hassan, another driver, the terrible state of the road coupled with frequent knockdowns made him contemplate giving up driving at a time.
"The road is terrible. I ply it almost every day. Sometimes, when you hit a pothole, you feel like crying. We have seen cars knocked down, and motorists forced to spend the night on the road. Those who aren't familiar with the road find it particularly difficult.
"When it rains, the journey becomes almost unbearable. Last year, I hated driving on this road to the point of nearly giving up. There was a time my car broke down. I spent hours trying to get it repaired. There were times when I got caught in the rain on the road with a broken car. These days, we make a single trip mostly, so as not to stress the car."
Sharing a similar experience, Adamu Muhammad Jungudo, said the poor road condition has resulted in fewer passengers, as some people are now hesitant to travel on the road due to safety concerns, especially for those with health issues.
"The potholes are a major hazard, particularly on parts like Banigaye to Shuwe and Bozonshulwa to Bojude. If you're not familiar with the road, these potholes can lead to accidents. Many passengers now ply the road only if they must.
"Our profits have also decreased. After deducting fuel costs, which range from ₦10,000 to ₦12,000 (depending on your car) and union dues of ₦1,500, we're left with minimal earnings. Sometimes, our earning barely covers car repairs, leaving us with little to no savings. If accidents occur, we end up with nothing."
Commuters narrate ordeals
Kabiru Zubairu, a regular commuter on the Dukku-Gombe road, bemoaned the negative effect of the road on his engagements in the state capital as he is based in Dukku.
"The state of the Dukku-Gombe road at the moment is the worst. A distance of 72km or so that used to be covered in 45 minutes to 1 hour is now 2 hours.
"I used to travel with a driver in the early hours of Saturday, and we would arrive in Gombe by 7:00 am or 7:15 am, giving me adequate time to prepare for my schedules. However, now we barely arrive by 8:00 am, making me late for my scheduled activities. As a result, I've had to adjust my travel plans and now head to Gombe on Fridays to spend the night there and prepare for my weekend engagements."
Abubakar Aliyu, another road user, said, "The road is in a terrible condition. Some people now don't want to travel to Gombe because of it. If you ply the road, you return with aches all over your body. There used to be some local road menders who would sand-fill the potholes on the road, but during the rainy season, any attempts to fill potholes with sand are futile, as the rain washes it away. I used to travel on this road frequently, but now I avoid it unless absolutely necessary."
Public Commentator speaks on road's significance
A public commentator, Sulaiman Sa'idu Liman, said the poor condition of the road is causing significant challenge to the economic and social well-being of the people in the area.
"The Gombe-Dukku-Darazo road is still under Gombe-Bauchi governments, but the member representing Dukku/Nafada federal constituency has moved a motion for the upgrade of the road to Trunk A status so that the federal government can take it over.
"About 64km of the 72km Dukku-Gombe road is in bad shape. One needs to drive at 20km/hour or even less to ensure safety of the car, the driver and the passengers.
"Despite efforts by authorities, the road still remains in deplorable condition, causing accidents, damaging cars and posing security threats to travellers."
Emphasising on the significance of the road, Liman noted that it connects several states and serves as a vital route for the transportation of goods and people.
"The poor condition of this road is a significant challenge to the economic and social well-being of the people in the region. The road is being used to transport agricultural commodities, medical facilities and also to convey patients to the Federal Teaching Hospital Gombe."
Road's poor condition posing health risks to users - Medical Expert
A medical doctor who plies the Dukku-Gombe road on a daily basis, Dr. Aliyu Bashir, highlighted the health implications of the road's deplorable condition.
"The road's poor state poses significant health risks to passengers, particularly those with pre-existing medical conditions. The dust, for example, could trigger respiratory issues like asthma, while pregnant women are at risk of miscarriage and precipitated labour due to rough rides." he noted.
He expressed concern about the challenges of transporting patients to the Federal Teaching Hospital (FTH) in Gombe.
"In emergency situations, timely medical attention is crucial. However, the road's condition often delays transportation, putting patients' lives at risk. The FTH is the only referral tertiary hospital in this axis, and transporting patients to Gombe can be risky as drivers can't speed up for fear of jolting patients.
DCF, NURTW urge government to intervene
On his part, the Chairman of the Dukku Consultative Forum (DCF), Muhammad Bala Hashidu, urged authorities concerned to intervene and ensure the complete rehabilitation of the road.
"This road is a vital link between Gombe and several states, including Taraba, Adamawa, Borno, Jigawa, and Katsina, as well as neighbouring Cameroon. In the early 2000s, efforts were made by the then Senator Umar Usman Dukku to get the intervention of the federal government to rehabilitate the road as the road is not under federal government. Two construction companies - Triacta and Dekit were contracted for different sections of the road. However, while Triacta's work was good (from Darazo-Bulbul), Dekit's section (Bulbul-Gombe) fell short of standards, which is where the major problem is now. The road is further strained by heavy-duty vehicles, sometimes including trucks carrying agricultural produce from Taraba to Kano.
"We appeal to the governor and all stakeholders to intervene and ensure the complete rehabilitation of the road. We pray that they consider our plight and that of our neighbouring communities. We also call on our Senator, our representative at the National Assembly and the Minister of Transportation to liaise with their colleagues to ensure the complete rehabilitation of the road. We understand some of them have made some level of commitment. While we appreciate their effort, the most important thing is to see tangible action."
Abdulhamid Hassan, Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) Dukku Branch, while expressing concerns over the condition of the road, called on government to rehabilitate the road, given its significance.
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"The Gombe-Dukku road is in a deplorable state, affecting motorists from various parts of the country, including Jigawa, Zamfara, Sokoto, Jibia, Cameroon, and Mubi, because the road stretches to Darazo of Bauchi State.
"The road's condition is causing frequent breakdowns, with at least 1-10 vehicles experiencing failures daily. It's not uncommon for a car to break down within three trips, with issues ranging from clutch problems to other mechanical faults. Just today, my own car broke down on the way."
While commending the state government and the local government Chairman, Hassan appealed for urgent reconstruction of the road to ease the struggles of motorists.
"The Governor has done well with township roads, and we pray that this road will receive similar attention. We urge the government to follow up and get it repaired for the sake of our members and the traveling public."
We're committed to the rehabilitation of the road - Gombe gov't
The Gombe State Government has said it is fully committed to the rehabilitation of the road.
Speaking with our reporter in a phone interview, Ismaila Uba Misilli, the Spokesperson of the Gombe State Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, noted that a fortnight ago, the northeast governors had met with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to seek intervention in the rehabilitation of some roads in the subregion, including the Gombe-Dukku-Darazo road.
He said, "You know it's a federal road. In fact, if you check the communique of the governors of the Northeast recently, you will discover that they even raised that issue and included it as part of the roads that they're canvassing for Mr. President's support towards its rehabilitation. The governors are committed to seeing that the road is rehabilitated. About two weeks ago, they visited Mr. President and part of the issues discussed was the rehabilitation of the Gombe-Dukku-Darazo road, along with other roads in the northeast subregion.
"You see, the thing is, there is a federal government policy in place. If you look at it before now, in fact, before the coming of late president Muhammadu Buhari, governors could execute such projects and still claim their money but that kind of arrangement has stopped now."
