Why I called for urgent rehabilitation of Ejule-Otukpa road – Rep Zacharias

Honourable David Idris Zacharias has called on the federal government to urgently rehabilitate Ejule-Otukpa in order to facilitate along the route and to ensure security of lives and properties of commuters and motorists.

Hon. Zecharias who is representing the good people of Idah/Igalamela/Ibaji/Ofu Federal Constituency, made the call in a motion on Wednesday on the floor of the House of Representatives.

He noted that transport infrastructure is one of the major challenges facing Nigeria which necessitated the recent call on the Federal Government by the Senate to declare sate of emergency on federal roads across the country.
He added that Kogi State is strategically located, linking South-East, South-South and South-West with the Federal Capital Territory and the northern part of the country.

“Thousands of Nigerians ply the road from Ejule in Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi State and Otukpa in Benue State on daily basis, as it is the shortest route to the Federal Capital Territory and northern part of the country”, he stated.

The lawmaker is worried that with a thick Forest by the side of the road, criminals now take advantage of the state of the road to perpetrate crimes on a daily basis against the knowledge that vehicular movements are almost at a standstill.

“Cases of kidnapping are recorded on the road on a regular basis, thereby raising security concerns about the safety of commutters plying that route without options in view of the fact that it provides fast access to other parts of the country.

“Lives are lost due to auto crashes, armed robbery attacks and kidnapping, thereby making life difficult for people”, he mentioned.

Hon. Zacharias recalled that in December 2019, about 16 persons including two pregnant women were reported to have died along the road in auto crashes, due to diplorable state of the road.

He also recalled that another fatality was recorded on the road immediately after Ochikala village on the 9th of February, 2020 due to the bad condition of the road.

Apart from safety concerns, prices of farm produce that are being transported through the route continue to rise”, the lawmaker noted.

“If urgent steps are not taken to provide lasting solution to the problems, commuters may not be able to ply the road”, he stated.

The House, however, resolved to mandate the Committees on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Appropriation and Works to make provision in the 2021 budget estimates, as well as ensure the rehabilitation of the Ejule-Otukpa road.