11 Months After, Taraba Govt Yet To Commence Work On Jalingo Roads

Eleven months after the Taraba State governor, Agbu Kefas promised that an Army Engineer would commence massive construction of ring roads and streets within Jalingo, the state’s capital, the construction is yet to commence.

Kefas said on May 30, 2024, during a world press conference to mark his first year in office as the governor of Taraba State, that he had engaged an army engineer to massively construct roads and streets within Jalingo, which he said would give the state capital an ultra-modern city outlook.

“I have engaged an Army Engineer to take over the construction of Jalingo inter-city roads and streets. Very soon, the engineers will commence work. I urge Jalingo residents to give them maximum support wherever they can when the construction of the roads commences,” Kefas stated during the press conference last year.

The news of engaging the Army Engineer to construct roads excited the people of the state capital, who celebrated that the construction of the streets would alleviate their long suffering from a lack of access roads within their various areas.

After waiting for eleven months, residents, particularly from Angwan-Kasa, Abuja Phase I and II, Mayo-Dasa, Jaka-Daferi, Sabon-Gari and Mai Six, have continued to lament poor access road network within their areas.

Therefore, the residents have called on the governor to redeem his promises by engaging a construction firm to open access roads within the state capital, giving it a befitting look and opening business opportunities.

Residents of Abuja Phase II, Mr Peter Asenfa and Titus Ashi, told our correspondent that if work is not done on the road leading to their area before the commencement of the rainy season, thousands of people living in Abuja Phase II will be forced to relocate since there will be no access road to their houses.

Also, residents of Angwan-Kasa, Mrs Mary Nyameh and Mallam Jude Alhassan, said people from the area who own cars used to park their vehicles at the mechanic village during the last rainy season to trek to their various areas due to lack of access roads.

“When it is rainy season, we don’t have access to our areas from the main road that leads to Lau; even our children, while going to school, have to pocket their uniforms to wear when they get to their schools. If not, they get dirty on the road.”

She pleaded with the governor to save the people by opening access to the area. “If nothing is done on our area’s roads, during rainy season, we shall have no access road to go in or come out of Mayo-Dasa. Erosion has washed away the roads, while mud has taken over many of them,” she said.

Those who spoke to LEADERSHIP pleaded with the governor to open access roads within the state capital to alleviate the people’s sufferings and expand the business opportunities for the residents.