Agriculture
THE Federal Government, on Wednesday assured road users and residents of its commitment to easing traffic congestion on the Nyanya-Mararaba road before the end of 2023.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Environment, Shehu Ibrahim, gave the assurance during the inspection of some projects executed by the Ecological Project Office (EPO), in Abuja.
The project inspected are Wasa-Gude access road construction, Erosion control and gully mitigation in Kuchigoro/Koronmajigi village, construction of bridges and culverts, as well as the upgrading of roads at Lugbe 1, Cadastral Zone 7, Off Umaru Yaradua (Airport) Road.
Others are Gully erosion and flood control works along Tafawa-Balewa Way, Area 3.
Ibrahim decried the challenges faced by those residing in Nyanya, Mararaba, Masaka and Keffi axis, due to the continuous heavy traffic in the area.
The permanent secretary, who noted that the road was the major federal highway linking Abuja with many states in the north central and northeast, said there was an urgent need to ameliorate the sufferings of road users there.
Ibrahim therefore, said the completion of Wasa-Gude road, would link Abuja to Kuje and Karshi, and ease the congestion because those coming from that axis would have an alternative route.
“The main essence of construction of Wasa-Gude road, is to achieve two things, first create access linking FCT to Kuje and Karshi, so it will serve as an alternative road, thereby reducing the congestion along Mararaba/Nyanya route.
“Secondly it is the issue of easy access to point of food production.
“There are many villages around Wasa-Gude that are into agricultural production, but lack access roads to convey their produce to major towns with vehicles, this challenge contributes to post-harvest losses,” Ibrahim said.
Speaking on erosion control and gully mitigation intervention in Kuchigoro/Koronmajigi village, the permanent secretary urged the communities to ensure proper maintenance of the project.
According to him, erosion has been a major challenge bedeviling the communities, and the Federal Government is also committed to tackling this challenge by ensuring completion of the project.
“The major problem this communities have is the issue of flooding, whenever it rains, the whole community gets flooded, there was a request to our office and we came to intervene,” he explained.
Representative of the communities, Mr Gbaiza Gimba, President, Greater Gbagy Initiative, commended the Federal Government for the intervention.
“At the moment, we now have a link between two communities, we do not have to travel two to four kilometers before coming back to our houses.
“We are very grateful to the government for the laudable intervention,” Gimba said. (NAN)
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Tags: Gbaiza Gimba Shehu Ibrahim
