The House of Representatives has urgently called on the Federal Ministry of Works, the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA), and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) to deploy personnel and resources to the Suleja-Lambata-Bida Highway to alleviate severe gridlock and restore traffic flow.
In addition, the House directed the Ministry of Works to conduct an emergency assessment of the highway, engage with the contractor handling the project to determine the reasons for delays, and propose long-term solutions to prevent future occurrences.
The lawmakers also instructed the Ministry of Works to collaborate with stakeholders—including the Niger State Government, security agencies, and transport unions—to ensure sustained traffic management on this critical route.
These resolutions followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance, presented by Rep. Saidu Musa Abdullahi and nine other lawmakers, addressing the need to resolve gridlock on the Suleja-Lambata-Bida Highway in Niger State, which has caused significant delays and raised concerns about public safety and law enforcement.
The House noted that for six consecutive days, an 18-kilometer traffic standstill has plagued the Suleja-Lambata-Bida Highway, leaving tankers, trucks, trailers, and other vehicles stranded.
The motion stated: “This road is one of the busiest and most critical federal highways in the nation, connecting and facilitating the movement of people, goods, and services—including essential and perishable items—between Northern and Western states.”
It further noted that potholes along the stretch from Maje to Dikko Junction, a key route into Abuja, are the primary cause of the gridlock. This has forced smaller emergency vehicles to detour through bushy and unsafe routes via Izom to Suleja.
“Worried that the current situation has led to significant losses in valuable man-hours, negatively impacted perishable goods—especially agricultural produce—with severe implications for the nation’s economy, and increased the risk of accidents and criminal activity, compromising the safety of commuters and residents,” the lawmakers stated.
They expressed further concern over reports that road users have faced hunger, poor health conditions, and extreme hardship due to limited access to food, healthcare, and transportation.
The lawmakers cited reports of a corpse found abandoned along the alternative route, highlighting the threat to public safety posed by this situation
Acknowledging that the Federal Government awarded contracts for the reconstruction and dualization of this critical highway in phases since 2010, with additional funding efforts through the Presidential Tax Credit Scheme, yet progress has been alarmingly slow,” Abdullahi said.
The House unanimously adopted the motion, mandating its Committees on Works and Legislative Compliance to ensure the resolutions are implemented.
Source: Vanguard
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