Residents of Fori in Jere, a local government area of Borno state, have raised concerns over a dilapidated bridge damaged by the September 10 Maiduguri flood.
The bridge was a vital road linking the community with Tashan Bama, the University of Maiduguri, and other communities in Borno’s metropolitan area.
It could be recalled that after the flood, the Borno State government and Dr. Ndiame Diop, the World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, assessed the bridge and other infrastructure affected by the disaster and disclosed their commitment to rebuilding it.
However, even though work on the bridge started immediately after the assessment, the residents complained that the work later stopped. They expressed concerns that with the rainy season settling in, they would be unable to use the road, and taking an alternative route would also cost them a lot.
„The non-rehabilitation of the bridge is a serious worry to us. Crossing with our families is a daily struggle. Our children cry during the crossing, and mothers face immense difficulty,‘ 59-year-old Jibrin Abba, a father of four and a trader, said.
He added that with the approaching rainy season, the temporary bridge they created would no longer help them.
„Accessing our homes, businesses, hospitals, and schools will become impossible without a way to cross. This is the only direct route to Bama Road for Fori, Galtimari, and Ajajari residents. We implore the government to intervene and reconstruct the bridge before the rains,‘ Emmanuel Ibrahim, 46, a father of four, said.
The residents complained and called on the government to act on the bridge before the rainy season set in.
„We endure significant hardships when crossing, especially for older individuals like myself who struggle with the uneven path. We were hopeful the bridge would be repaired before the rainy season, as we saw work start, and after a day or two, the work stopped, and the engineers were nowhere to be found. And I was told that the engineers would be back, but we haven‘t seen any. We are urging the governor to come to our aid because many will find it difficult to transport themselves to take the Al-Amin Dagash route,‘ Fatima Abdullahi, 52, a mother of seven, lamented.
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