NAN-AE-1
Road
By Tosin Kolade
Abuja, July 11, 2017 (NAN) Some residents of Lugbe Federal Housing Authority (FHA) on Tuesday called on the FCT Administration (FCTA) to fix the road in their neighbourhood so as to mitigate the commuters’ sufferings.
They told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that the deplorable condition of the road had impacted negatively on the overall wellbeing of all the residents.
A NAN Correspondent observed that the 5km-road from the spot hosting the “police’’ and “under bridge’’ signboards to the residential areas was marred with potholes and broken-down drainage systems, among other defects.
Mr Peter Awolusi, a civil servant, who said that the state of the road was worrisome to the residents, stressed that it was high time the administration came to their aid by fixing the broken spots.
He said that the deep potholes in the road had caused untold hardship for the people, adding that commuters had no other options than to pray and hope for official intervention.
His words: “We want the FCTA to come to our aid.
“We have been facing so much stress as we go to work and return every day; it has not been easy at all, we want to move freely.
“Most of the car owners in our community have resorted to parking their cars at home.
“If your car lacks good shock-absorbers; the ride to and from the place will not be a pleasant one at all.”
Another resident, Ms. Agatha Ekwueme, appealed to the FCTA to repair the road, recalling that residents had written to the councillor in charge of the area several times but to no avail.
She said that the road had been in a bad condition since she moved into the vicinity in 2007.
Ekwueme moaned that no one had really taken any concrete step to do assist the people.
“Commercial activities have been grounded as I speak; motorcycle operators also complain that the deplorable state of the road was affecting their business; they charge us exorbitant fees especially whenever it rains.
“We are at the receiving end most times because motorcycle operators end up shunning us; we had to trek long distances before we get to the junction to get vehicles to the city centre,” she added.
Another resident, Iliya Abubakar, said some residents had to clear drains and fill bad portions of the road, adding, however, that there was little that could be done, as the damage could not be rectified via minor, individual efforts.
He said the situation was appalling because whenever it rained, most people had to trek and they consequently became smeared with mud from potholes before reaching their destinations.
Abubakar called for the speedy rehabilitation of the road, as it was the only way to reverse the ugly trend and address the untold hardships facing the residents.
A human rights lawyer, Mr Frank Anyaebe, said that the citizens, as taxpayers, had the right to demand for social justice and improved welfare, which included good roads and hospitals, as well as hitch-free access to water, sanitation and hygiene facilities.
Anyaebe stressed that as part of the nation-building efforts, pragmatic strategies ought to be initiated to close the increasing gaps between the rich and the poor, saying that the major road in Lugbe FHA needed immediate rehabilitation. (NAN)
TAK/MOL/OOK
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Edited by Mustapha Lamidi and Dayo Komolafe