-Deborah Akinyosoye
Ahead of the Yuletide season, the Federal Government, through the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency, FERMA, yesterday, said it has begun repairs of Federal roads nationwide to ease the flow of traffic.
FERMA Managing Director, Chukwuemeka Agbasi, while flagging off phase 2 of the operation connect to your destination in Kano State, said about 18,850 metres square would be patched, 12,000 areas of failed section would be recovered, 2,700 meters square of overlay would be done and 653 kilometres of the road would be made motorable.
Agbasi said, “Operation connect to your destination is a programme that has been designed to improve the journey time experience of commuters on our roads and more importantly reduce traffic congestion during the festive period.
“We do know that during the festive period that there is a lot of traffic from the north to the south or from the south to the north. So the essence of this program is to identify the areas we have bottlenecks within the corridors before the movement of commuters commence. It is designed to ensure the hitch-free movement of commuters.
“And also more importantly, in identifying the root, the agency has mapped out where you have traffic gridlock, so those areas that we have Traffic that’s where the agency is focusing on the work to be done so that the impact will be made on road users.
“Also, in terms of what to be done and what to be achieved, we have set target. At the completion of this programme, it is expected that about 18,850 metres square will be patched, over 12,000 areas of failed section to be recovered, 2,700 meters square of overlay will be done and 653 kilometres of the road will be made motorable and more importantly, over 12,000 jobs will be created which will.have a huge impact on unemployed economy.”
Earlier, FERMA’s Head of Direct Labour Department, Sani Abdulkadir said the road was designed to ease the flow of traffic and the road maintenance will be carried out between now and mid December to avoid work during the yelutide period.