Lawmakers Urge FG To Reconstruct Bauchi-Yola Highway
By Victor Ernest
The House of Representatives on Wednesday urged the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing to reconstruct the Bauchi-Gombe-Yola road to prevent further loss of lives and property.
The lower chamber of the National Assembly also called on the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) to commence remedial works pending the reconstruction exercise.
This followed a motion by Rep. Ali Isa (Gombe-PDP) on the ”need to reconstruct Bauchi-Gombe-Yola road”.
Highway rehabilitation
Moving the motion, Isa explained that rehabilitating the federal highway would alleviate the sufferings of the people in the region.
He described the road as an economic lifeline that boosted trade and other economic activities among the people of the North-East and the country in general.
”Aware that owing to the high volume of trade and economic activities among the people of the North-East zone, the road is always busy with much traffic plying it, no maintenance has been carried out for long,” he said.
Deteriorated highway
According to the lawmaker, the road has deteriorated with large potholes and washed off shoulders.
He further expressed worry that insurgents and armed robbers were taking advantage of the deplorable condition of the road to attack travelers and disposed them of their valuables.
The motion was unanimously adopted by members when it was put to a voice vote by the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara.
The House therefore mandated its Committees on Works and Appropriation to include the reconstruction and dualisation of the road in the 2017 budget.
