Gridlock: Residents appeal to FERMA to fix Okene- Auchi road

The Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) has been called upon address the deplorable condition of Okene-Auchi road to ease the plight of commuters plying on the road.

The non-attention of FERMA to the worsening condition of the trunk ‘A’ Road that passes through Okene – Auchi to the eastern parts of the country has since the last one month created a nightmare for travellers and residents.

Speaking on the bad nature of the road, the chairman of Okene Local Government, AbdulRazaq Muhammed explained that the Local Government have since a month ago written officially to FERMA over the condition of the road.

He stated that due to the deplorable condition of the Okene Checkpoint- Ohiana portion of the road, commuters, especially Trailers, trucks and other articulated vehicles spend nights on the road before passing through the bad portion of the road.

“Most worrisome is that in the last two days, the gridlock created has extended to Okene township thereby blocking the major road that passes true the town” he stated.

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The council chairman equally appealed to FERMA to do something urgently to remedy the condition of the federal road to alleviate the hardship being faced by commuters and other users of the road.

Also speaking, a human rights activist, Ahmed Adoke, pointed out that the Okene-Auchi-Benin road, the deplorable situation has already caused socioeconomic hardship to Okene and its environment in the last week.

“The grid of distance of six kilometres has become a daily affair in the one week. We are appealing to the Federal Ministry of Works to in the interest of Nigerians come to aid the people by fixing the road.

“We are also using this medium to call on BUA cement factory and DANGOTE cement factory respectively who are most beneficiaries of the road because of their numerous trucks plying the road to desist from keeping mute over the current situation of the roads,” he said.

Ibrahim Ige Obaro, the monarch of Okene expressed worry over the hardship the situation has brought upon the residents and travellers, saying the situation has brought a total halt to vehicular movement in Oke net own.

He appealed to FERMA and the federal ministry of works to complement the efforts of the Kogi State Government by fixing the federal Roads that pass through the State.