The federal government, through the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA), has commenced the complete renovation of some major federal roads ahead of Christmas and New Year celebrations in Bauchi State.
Engineer Nanpan Joroh, the Federal Road Maintenance Engineer of FERMA in Bauchi State, stated this in an interview with journalists yesterday.
To him, the federal government is more concerned about the safety of lives of Nigerians plying the roads especially during the yuletide, hence the renovation and rehabilitation of the major roads.
“We are now in December and FERMA has commenced massive maintenance and patching of potholes in some major roads in Bauchi State.
“We call this programme operation connect to your destination. We want the road users to use the roads safely to their destinations during this yuletide period and return safely as well.
“The programme kick-started last week, and our men are now on the roads working day in and day out to see that people travel to their destinations safely during this festive period,” he said.
Joroh highlighted some of the roads being renovated under the ‘operation connect to your destination’, including the Bauchi-Tafawa Balewa to Plateau State boundary, which covers 21 kilometres, and the Bauchi-Kari to Yobe State boundary roads, which cover 30.9 kilometres.
The site engineer explained that the federal government had approved four other major road contracts under the 2024 budget for complete renovations.
These, he said, included the Azare-Misau road which is 20.2 kilometres, adding that the contractor has commenced work and would complete the road in the next one week.
“Others included the Bauchi-Jos road, the Bauchi-Gombe state border road and Kari-Yana in Jigawa state border road.
“The contractors for these three roads will soon report and mobilise to site any moment from now and that is when we will know the kilometres that will be covered.
“With all these contracts and the direct labour works, if they are executed, the federal roads in Bauchi state will be motorable and the people will use them to travel safely to their destinations in the festive period,” said the engineer.
He, however, explained that fear of insecurity is one of the major challenges faced while discharging their duties, saying “this is because there are times we work through the night because when you have collected asphalt, you have to exhaust it.
“If it stays overnight, it may get spoiled but we thank God for the security agencies because we do invite them to give us a cover or protection so we can work easily”.
Joroh acknowledged Governor Bala Mohammed’s resolve to partner with FERMA to overcome some challenges and appreciated him for allocating land for the construction of their permanent site.
