Travellers still suffering 2 years after Taraba bridge collapse
Two years after the Namne bridge collapsed along the Jalingo-Wukari highway in Taraba State, the federal government is yet to reconstruct the bridge, causing hardship to travellers.
Our correspondent discovered that trailers and luxury buses are forced to divert and follow an alternate route away from the collapsed bridge, a development that has created untold hardship for road users.
Also, other vehicles are being ferried across the River Namne close to the collapsed bridge and are charged between N5000 and N10000 for each crossing.
A commercial vehicle driver, Lawal Wukari, told Daily Trust that since the collapse of the bridge, travellers plying the Jalingo-Wukari road are facing serious difficulty.
He lamented the different charges being paid to ferry operators by drivers, saying that there is also a high risk of vehicles falling into the river and delays in crossing the river on the ferry before continuing the journey.
He said many travellers have lost their lives when using a ferry to convey them across the River Namne, with several vehicles also falling into the river.
A resident of the area, Alhaji Aminu Tanimu Mutumbiyu, said residents of the area are disappointed over the delay in reconstructing the bridge which collapsed two years ago.
He said many people have lost their lives in incidents involving ferries conveying passengers across River Namne since its collapse two years ago.
He said the North East Development Commission (NEDC) had awarded the contract for the reconstruction of the bridge, but work was stopped and no explanation was given to residents.
Tanimu said the collapse of the bridge has also affected economic activities in the area.
Meanwhile, Taraba State Governor Agbu Kefas has admitted that he was aware of the hardship caused by the collapse of the bridge.
He said the bridge is an economic lifeline connecting families, farms, markets and communities, and appreciated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Federal Ministry of Regional Development and the North East Development Commission for awarding the reconstruction of the bridge.
The governor, however, lamented that progress of work at the site has not yet matched the urgency of the situation or the expectations of Taraba people.
Kefas has directed the State Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, working with the Secretary to the Government of Taraba State, to engage immediately with the North East Development Commission, the Federal Ministry of Regional Development and the contractor to expedite action on the bridge.
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