NEDC to rebuild 15 collapsed bridges and culverts in Yobe
By Tada Jutha
The North East Development Commission (NEDC) is to rebuild 14 collapsed bridges and culverts destroyed along the major roads in Yobe State.
The collapse of bridges and washing off 11 box and ring culverts were caused by the recent flooding of dozens of towns and communities.
The Commission’s Managing Director, Mohammed Alkali, stated this while assessing the destroyed bridges on Monday at Garin Gada Jakusko local government area of Yobe State.
“The Jumbam collapsed, and a dozen culverts on the Damaturu-Daptchi road have been washed off by the surging floods that lasted for five days.”
He said that the collapsed bridges on Katarko-Gujba, Potiskum-Jakusko-Gashua, Damaturu-Geidam, and the 130km Damaturu-Biu roads are to be rebuilt to link the cutoff communities in the state.
Alkali lamented that since the washing off of bridges and culverts, motorists and residents, including farmers, could not access markets, hospitals, and farmlands to haulage their crop.
Announcing the support of rebuilding the bridges in the state, the NEDC boss pledged to fix all the collapsed bridges and wash off culverts.
Consequently, he noted that this will enable the commission to open the roads for commuting and other business activities in the various communities, including the border areas with Niger.
commuters could not access the
A roadway between Katarko and Gujba affected by the recent floods was also visited by the team and sympathised with the affected communities in all the affected areas.
“Today’s assessment visits of roads were to support the state government by rebuilding all the damaged road infrastructure,” pledged Alkali.
While rebuilding the bridges and culverts, he also assured the Yobe state government that the commission will partner with the federal government to complete the four affected roads in the state.
Alkali assured the affected communities that he would present their appeals and complaints to the federal government.
He emphasised the NEDC’s commitments in addressing economic hardships caused by the floods and stated that there is the need for a timely intervention to improve the living conditions of the people and alleviate the pressures faced by the local population.
He also extended his condolences to people affected by recent flooding but urged them to consider the disasters to life and property as an act of God.
Malam Mustapha, of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Tarmuwa local council, appealed to the federal government and the state government commission to expedite the rebuilding of bridges and culverts.
He lamented the destruction of 12, 000 hectares of farmland in the 17 affected local councils.
