Council chairman calls for urgent rehabilitation of Ajaokuta-Okene Road

The chairman of Ajaokuta Local Government area, Aloysius Okino has called on the federal government to take urgent steps to rehabilitate the Ajaokuta-Okene road which he said has become a death trap

In a Save Our Soul,(SOS), letter dated 10th October, 2013 and addressed to the Honourable Minister of works, a copy of which was made available to journalists in Lokoja yesterday, the chairman noted that the road has claimed several lives, owing to the dilapidated nature of the road.


The letter which read in parts said
"On behalf of the people of Ajaokuta Local Government Area and Nigerians, I want to bring to your notice and by extension the Federal Government, the worsening state of the Ajaokuta-Okene dual carriage way which has become a death trap to motorists who ply this route on daily basis"

According to him, Motorists and other users of the road have been subjected to a lot of hardship as a result of the dilapidated nature of the road, saying that it has claimed more lives than the dreaded HIV/AIDS in recent time.

He added that  in addition to several lives claimed by the road and is still claiming through accidents, the road has become a hibanating ground for armed robbers who harassed and dispossess Nigerians who use the road of their valuables.

Okino who is also the chairman of Kogi state Association of Local Government of Nigeria,(ALGON), noted that  motorists had to move at snail speed due to the pot holes which could pass for a gully, describing the situation as very pathetic and worrisome.

In the letter he said that the road is one of the major link for people  travelling from Benue to the Western part of the country and some parts of the Southern region.

He said the Local government, individuals and organizations have  making sacrifices to repair the bad portions of the road and as well as providing security surveillance, which he said is already weighing down his council.

"We as a Local Government, have been doing our best by soliciting the help of individuals and Organizations to maintain the bad portions of the road  as well as  increased security patrol at a high cost to my Government. It already weighing down my council" he maintained.

While commending the efforts of the federal government in the rehabilitation of other roads across the country, the chairman passionately appealed  to the Ministry to direct attention to this all important road sir.

The chairman  expressed confident in the ability of the federal government to handle the issue in a most passionate and timely manner, so as to save thousands of lives.