The Federal Government has been urged by the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) to promptly repair the Oyo-Ogbomosho highway.
The call, according to the statement, is intended to stop the petroleum product explosion from the trucks that was seen in Jigawa State a few days ago.
The association’s president, Alhaji Yusuf Lawal Othman, informed the minister of works, Engr. David Umahi, of this in a letter dated October 18, 2024.
The government was alerted to the deteriorating condition of the road by a letter headed “Urgent attention needed on Oyo-Ogbomosho Highway.”
The head of NARTO emphasized that the road needs to be attended to immediately in order to prevent catastrophic damage to people and property.
“While we applaud the federal government for its admirable efforts to restore the nation’s roads and highways, we are writing to draw your attention to the Oyo-Ogbomosho Highway’s deteriorating state, which has been impeding traffic for several days.
The Oyo-Ogbomosho Highway is a vital conduit for the flow of people, products, and necessities between the north and south, according to the president of NARTO, and it has a substantial impact on the country’s economic and social development.
He claims that the deteriorating state of the highway has already resulted in severe gridlock, long travel delays, financial losses, and increased safety risks.
He remembered that at one point in the past, the Soun of Ogbomosho, H.H. Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye, had helped with some palliative work to make the road motorable.
He bemoaned that the entire population, who depends on the road for daily activities, is affected by the state of the road collapse, not just NARTO members.
He warned the government about the dangers of exploding flammable products that become stranded in remote areas and described the road as dangerous.