Vehicular moments have begun along Suleja-Minna and Bida-Minna roads six days after tanker drivers blocked the roads over poor condition of Lambata-Lapai-Agaie- Bida road.
The tanker drivers were protesting their restriction on plying the roads by the Niger State Government due to ongoing reconstruction of Minna-Bida Road.
The drivers protested the snail-speed work on the motorway, which they said had caused them untold hardship.
The drivers’ decision came after the Federal Government directed contractor to commence remedial work on the Lambata-Lapai-Bida Road.
The federal government’s directive came 24 hours after Petroleum Tankers Drivers (PTD)’s branch of the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) called for a nationwide strike over the poor state of highways and other safety issues.
Minister of Works, Babatunde Fashola, said the inclement weather condition is adversely affecting the progress of work on the ongoing rehabilitation of the 124.8km Lambata-Lapai-Bida road, thereby making it unmotorable especially between Km 45 – 50km.
The minister, therefore, directed the contractor to concentrate efforts on executing the worst Fadama section of the road (Km 45- 50) where a lot of earthworks is required in order to further alleviate the pains of commuters.
He said the restriction of articulated vehicles from using Bida-Minna Road by the Niger State Government diverted most of the Lagos and Abuja-bound articulated vehicles to Lambata-Lapai-Bida Road, which he said had increased the volume of traffic that had hampers smooth operations by contractors at the site so causing slow progress of work.
Fashola appealed to Niger State Government to reconsider the decision to close Bida-Minna and Lapai-Paiko roads to articulated vehicles while construction is equally going on to decongest and distribute the traffic on Bida-Lambata Road to the other adjoining state roads.
The Lambata-Lapai-Bida road contract was awarded in May 2018 and 26.7km out of 124.8km has so far been completed.
