The Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) has commenced the repairs of the dilapidated Anyigba-Ankpa-Otukpo road that links Kogi and Benue states.
The Managing Director of FERMA, Mr Chukwuemeka Agbasi, made the disclosure on Wednesday when he visited the Onu Ankpa, Alhaji Abdulmalik Umar, after an inspection tour of the road.
Agbasi, who was represented by FERMA Roads Maintenance Engineer in Kogi, Mr Muktar Abdulrahim, informed the traditional ruler of their mission to repair the road.
According to him, the repairs were prompted by the complaints from road users over the poor state of the federal highway.
He said that the degradation of sections of the Itobe-Anyigba-Ankpa-Otukpo road was largely due to the high volume of heavy-duty vehicles using the route.
“The road serves as a crucial link connecting the South-South, South-East, and parts of Eastern Kogi to Lokoja, the state capital, and further to Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
“Its economic significance cannot be overstated, as it serves as a vital artery for trade, connecting several commercial hubs, and is also a centre for coal mining activities,” he said.
“The road was constructed in the 1980s, and the load it now bears far exceeds its original design capacity.
“With the decline of the railway system, heavy goods that would have been transported by train are now moved by trucks, placing more pressure on the road.
“Ankpa, a mining hub, attracts heavy-duty vehicles from within and outside Nigeria to transport coal, further straining the road.
“The use of a lateritic base has also contributed to the road’s rapid deterioration. Once cracks form and water seeps in, the damage worsens.
“So, we are now introducing a stone base, which will be stronger and more durable, he said.
Umar expressed gratitude to FERMA’s managing director and his team for the agency’s concern for the people.
The traditional ruler described the intervention as timely, given the damage caused by heavy trucks, and urged the agency to ensure the road received a lasting solution.
The New Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the FERMA team also inspected the reinstatement of a washed-out culvert along the Okene-Adogo-Ajaokuta road, where work was currently in progress. (NAN)
