By Francis Nansak,Lafia
Road accidents between the popular Zimbabwe Market to Tudun Wada all in Karshi Development Area, Karu LGA of Nasarawa State is becoming a daily occurance and on the raise.
This is as a result of the ongoing road expansion of the Abuja Keffi highway contracted to China Harbor Engineering Company of Nigeria(CHEC)
Our Correspondent report that no fewer than 10 goats were feared killed and one person severely injured and rushed to a near by hospital for medical attention.
The accident was between a J5 Van which conveyed the animals and a tipper loaded with timber from Doma Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.
Speaking,Musa Yakubu, the driver of the tipper confided to our reporter” First and foremost I want to thank God that I am alive to narrate the story on this ugly incident.I am a driver from Doma LGA conveying this woods to Abuja,reaching here my tyres developed problem and got hooked .I managed to park off the road but the back of the vehicle was not completely off the road.
” Noticing that I mounted the Triangle Caution Sign ,but left to where I slept for the night At about 3:15 am ,my conductor called to inform me that a J5 carrying goats rammed into our truck .
” I had to rushed out of my abode and my boys told me that the J5 was on speed and there was a Dangote trailer coming from the opposite direction driving down towards Keffi, it was on that spot the on attempt to dodged the trailer that the J5 left no option rammed into our tipper ,killing goats and the driver and his boy sustained injuries” Yakubu said.
Our Correspondent further gathered that the Dangote trailer did not stopped but made it way leaving the two vehicles badly damage.
Passer-bys and some residents of Uke who were there to take a glimpse lamented seriously against the slogish manner at which the Chinese contractors are going about the construction work on the road.
Adamu, second name witheld told our reporter that the Chinese company are not competent enough for the kind of job given to them.” In a situation where only one lane of the highway is under construction ,but this people continued to block part of the road in a highly traffic express way as this is very very disturbing.
” Since the flagged off of this road by the honourable minister of works sometime in February,work commences almost immediately but till date no reasonable progress has been made rather we continue to count losses and dehumanizing our citizens as a result of road accident.
” I am begging the Federal Government and even the state governor Engineer Abdullahi Sule who is also plying this road to expedite action for the speedy construction and completion of the road in order to save lives” He added.
Our reporter recalled that the Abuja -Keffi road expansion and extension was flagged off some times in February 2024 by the Honourable Minister for Works and Housing ,Senator David Omahi ,where he instructed the contractor China Harbor Engineering Company of Nigeria Limited (CHEC) on proper handling of the reconstruction and on time,but Four months after, what can be seen of the road is gravels in some parts and in other side semi tarring and excavations at Gidan Zakara near Keffi.This has cause inconvenience to motorists driving from one lane to another due to barricades in some parts of the road.
As at the time of filing this report,several attempt was made to reach the project manager but failed as worker on side refused to avail his phone contact.
However , a staff of the China Harbor Engineering Company Olusegun ,said the company has established a good working relationship with the Federal Road Safety Commission for control of vehicular movement to endure safety and prevent hazard on the road.