FCTA appeals to FG to fix potholes on Abuja-Keffi road

The FCT Administration Ministerial Task Team on Traffic Management has appealed to the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing to fix the potholes on the ever busy A.Y.A.-Kugbo-Nyanya stretch of the Abuja-Keffi expressway.

Chairman of the team, Mr Ikharo Attah, made the appeal while responding to questions from journalists on Sunday in Abuja.

Attah observed that the traffic build up on the ever busy A.Y.A.-Kugbo-Nyanya to Keffi road was largely caused by the potholes, especially the ones around kugbo slope down to Karu Site Bridge.

The traffic manager also called on the ministry to prevail on the contractor handling the road expansion work to fix the failed portions on the road to ease difficulties faced by motorists.

“If you take a careful look at the situation, the traffic build up on the road is caused by the potholes, particularly the ones just around Kugbo slope when heading to Karu Bridge.

“For now, the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA), as we were told, cannot work on the failed portions because it’s within the area under expansion which the contractor is handling.

“It is according to standard construction practice that the contractor fixes the bad portions on the current carriageway in use.

“Sadly, this is not the case this year. In 2020, the contractor did some work on the failed portions but all fixed portions have failed again,” Attah stated.

He explained that traffic personnel of the team from FRSC, Directorate of Road Traffic Services, Police and the officials of Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) were regularly on the route lining and pin down to ensure free flow of traffic during peak periods.

Attah, however, said that their efforts were negatively affected by the potholes on the road which always slowdown movement and lead to traffic building towards Abacha Barracks and sometimes to A.Y.A in Asokoro District after close of work.

“ If you observe very clearly many vehicles are breaking down around the kugbo slope areas, where the worst potholes are.

“ My prayer is that a trailer or tanker carrying petrol don’t break down or fall at that point,” he said.

Attah, who appealed to motorists to desist from driving on the road shoulders, worried that most stretches of the road shoulders were in very bad shape occasioned by the activities of impatient drivers.