Speaker of the Bauchi State House of Assembly, Abubakar Y Suleiman on Monday paid an on the spot assessment visit to the scene of the collapsed bridge along Bauchi-Ningi-Kano road at Tsangaya village of Ningi Local Government which links Bauchi State to the many North-Western States.
The Speaker who was in the company of Permanent Secretary, Bauchi State Ministry of Works, officials of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) and Triacta Nigeria Limited, sympathized with the residents and motorists who gathered at the scene.
He announced that Bauchi state Governor, Sen Bala Mohammad has ordered the immediate repairs of the bridge to enable commercial activities particularly transportation resume.
The Speaker said that “Although this is a federal road, His Excellency, Governor Bala Abdulkadir Muhammad has already directed Triacta Nigeria Limited to immediately mobilize to the site for the repair of the bridge. I spoke with the MD of the Company and he assured me that work will commence here latest this evening or early morning tomorrow”.
Abubakar Suleiman added that “Months ago, I have personally written to FERMA to intervene on this road by expanding and constructing concrete shoulders from Gadar Maiwa to Tsangaya to eradicate erosion threatening the road. With this ugly development, I hope they will swiftly respond.”
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Abubakar Suleiman also explained that the road is one of the most important and strategic roads in the State that links Bauchi State with Kano and many parts of the Country and the commercial corridor of the State, thus needs special attention from both federal and State Governments.
On the activities of farmers and telecommunication service providers who FERMA officials said are some of the causes of soil erosion and bridges collapse on the road, the Speaker pledged that the State House of Assembly will come up with laws to protect roads against erosion, destructions and encroachment across the State.
The Speaker who advocated for tree planting beside all roads in the State to prevent soil erosion and desertification advised farmers and telecommunication service providers to desist from activities that will affect roads as contained in a statement by Abdul Ahmad Burra, Spokesperson to the Speaker, Bauchi State House of Assembly.
