Residents and commuters are hopeful that the re-opening of Maiduguri-Damboa road in Borno State will result in increased business activities and economic boom for the people of the area.
The road which had been closed for months due to the activities of the Boko Haram insurgents, was reopened last week by the Nigerian Army.
The road is one of the strategic roads in Borno, and links about 10 local government areas to Maiduguri, the state capital, as well as Adamawa and Taraba States.
The district of Damboa, Zanna Maina, who described the reopening of the road as a welcome development, noted that it would bring emotional and economic relief to the people of the area and beyond.
According to him, the people of the district are happy about this development and grateful to the state governor, Babagana Zulum for the role he played.
Also, a driver, Zakari Kafa, said that the reopening of the road was a relief to commercial drivers who operate between Maiduguri and Damboa.
Kafa noted that while the closure lasted, it took them two to three days on the road to reach Damboa, traveling a distance of about 700 kilometres; instead of 80 to 85 kilometres.
“With the reopening of this road, people will find it easier to reach Damboa; with lorries taking goods to Damboa, our economy will also grow.
“Before now, these lorries find it difficult to take goods to Damboa but with this road, they can get to Damboa within two to three hours.
“We are appealing to the Nigerian Army as well as the Federal Government to provide more personnel to help secure the road.
“If the personnel are available, people will be confident to move, but if there is no security personnel on the road, people will be afraid to ply the road.
“This road has been closed for more than 10 months now,” he said.
A commuter and businessman, Kachala Bukar, said that the reopening of the road would go a long way in alleviating the suffering of the masses who ply the road.
Bukar said that those traveling from Maiduguri to the southern part of the state had to follow Gombe, Numan, Uba and Chibok before getting to Damboa, because of the closure of the road.
He said that the commuters usually spent up to three days on the road, adding that with the reopening of the road, people could now reach their destinations within two hours.
“We thank our governor for his effort toward ensuring the reopening of the road because before now, the masses who could not afford the cost of traveling long distance and often trek for many hours.
“We pray to God to protect him; to be able to carry out his lofty programmes for the benefit of the people.
“The security agencies, especially the Nigerian Army, have done a lot; it was their efforts that led to the reopening of this road.
“Even now, they are doing all possible to provide protection for the travelers on the road, which is commendable,” he said.
