... as commuters narrates their ordeals in plying Assakio, Ashige road
Member representing Lafia North Constituency at the Nasarawa State House of Assembly and Chairman House Committee on Judiciary, Barr Esson Mairiga has appealed to the Federal and State Governments to hasten the completion of Assakio - Ashige bridge before raining season properly sets in considering the terrible experience by those plying the road.
This, he said that the road which links different agricultural communities if not urgently tackle will affect food security thereby hinders their agricultural and socio-economic activities.
Hon Esson made the appeal when he visited the scene of the collapsed bridge.
He lamented on the slow pace of the work and called on the contractor handling the project to as matter of urgency hasten to complete the work within the shortest possible time.
The lawmaker said that if the contractor doesn't have the capacity to handle the work, the Federal Government should revoke the contract and give to a more competent hand.
" People are suffering as a result of this bridge collapsed
" Some of the vehicles that are trying to access alternative road couldn't make it and resulted to destructions of valuables worth millions of naira, this is uncalled for and very pathetic
" My appeal is that government should rise up to the occasion before the main raining season set in proper," he said.
According to him, this is the alternative road to Plateau State. Motorists from Shendam, Yelwa, Kurgwi, Lafia among others followed here every day.
"Locals are using the road to go to the market and farms, once the road is cut off, all economic activities within the axis will collapse
" Therefore, there is the need for government to act fast to complete the bridge," he added.
Hon Esson called on the people and the motorists to exercise patient as effort is in place to talk to those responsible to see to the urgent completion of the bridge.
" I want to assure you that, I will leave no stone unturned to make sure that the road is put to use within the short possible time," he emphasized.
Also speaking, the Youth Leader, Akunza/Ashige community, Mr Daniel Agya said it was unfortunate that the bridge can not be fixed after more than seven weeks with the commencement of the work.
He sympathized with the people of the area and travellers, who are suffering on a daily basis as a result of the collapsed bridge.
In an interview, a driver, Mr Usman Nura, who was coming from Shendam to Lafia and got trapped by the situation lamented bitterly on non completion of the bridge.
He called on the government to act fast in order to put the road back to use to ease the suffering motorists and other road users are going through in the road.
