Following the collapse of the main bridge that connects the Numan-Gombe highway, the Member of Reps representing Numan/Demsa/Lamurde federal Constituency Rt Hon Kwamoti B. La’ori, submitted an urgent matters to the House of Representatives to take major action to repair the bridge.
Presenting the request on Wednesday 09/10/2024 the member Rt Hon Kwamoti La’ori said that “the heavy downpours that caused flooding in parts of Adamawa State also washed-out a bridge in Boshikiri Community, along Numan -Gombe Road on Thursday, 19th September, 2024 and resulted to a total halt in vehicular movement along the axis for days, with adverse effect on the socio-economic activities in the northeast sub-region.
“The temporary alternative provided for stranded commuters to use after the wash-out is completely destroyed on Sunday, October 6, 2024, leaving no alternative for commuters traveling to and from Gombe State and other states in the Northeast, due to the increased rains that caused severe flooding in the area.
“Not only has the collapsed bridge negatively impacted commercial activities along the road, it has also resulted in significant losses for humans, animals, and goods, as well as trauma and stress. As a result of trucks transporting animals and perishable goods becoming stuck in the area, patients with emergency medical conditions run the risk of dying on the spot” .
Hon Kwamoti Laori, also presented the concerns of the people of the area over the lack of completion of the Lafiya-Gombe highway for years.
“The Numan-Lafiya potion of the ongoing Numan-Gombe road construction has lingered for almost a decade now, even though same project has steadily enjoyed budgetary allocations for all the number of years it lasted.
“The worst areas, starting from the washed-out bridge to Lafiya-Lamurde, would constitute a major setback to commuters and businesses due to the glacial pace of the road project execution, if not accelerated, and that as a result, the socioeconomic prosperity of the northeast sub-region would continue to suffer hence” he emphasized.
The Speaker House of Reps Rt Hon Tajudeen Abbas mandate the Committee on Works to ensure speedy reconstruction of the washed-out bridge, address the cause of delay in completion of the Numan-Gombe road construction project for the safety of Nigerians and economic prosperity of the northeast and the nation at large.
From Muh’d Shafi’u Saleh
