The Niger House of Assembly, yesterday, passed a resolution seeking the interventions of two former heads of state, Generals Ibrahim Babangida and Abdusalami Abubakar (retd), on the deplorable federal roads in the state.
The House passed the resolution following a motion calling on the Federal Government to find a lasting solution to the rot in road infrastructure in the state.
The motion was moved by Musa Vatsa, and seconded by Malik Madaki.
“All the federal roads in Niger are in a deplorable condition and vehicles spend about six to eight hours on the road that should take an hour journey. Federal roads are the only access roads in and out of Niger and all heavy duty vehicles from the Northern to the Southern parts of the country and vice versa ply these routes on a daily basis.
“Although the Niger government spends billions of naira to maintain these roads, particularly, the Minna-Suleja road, the repairs do not last long because heavy duty vehicles are too many and they carry above the required capacity.
“Despite the fact that contract has been awarded by the Federal Government for the rehabilitation of Lambata-Agaie-Bida road, no effort has ben made to release funds to fast track the work to alleviate the sufferings of our people,’’ the House said in the resolution.
The House unanimously resolved to set up a 7-man adhoc committee to reach out to the two former heads of state and seek ways they can intervene to facilitate repairs on the roads.
The committee is also to interface with the comptroller of the Federal Ministry of Works in charge of Niger, and also meet with the state governor to impress on him to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari and the minister of works on how to accelerate the repairs of federal roads.
Angry youths on Monday blocked the Suleja-Minna and Minna-Bida roads to protest the deplorable state of the roads.