By Aliyu M. Aliyu
Irked by the spate of road accidents claiming several lives along Birnin-Kudu highway in Jigawa state, the federal government has reiterated its commitment to straighten the sharp bends, aimed at saving human lives.
Hotpen reports that travelers coming from Bauchi, Taraba, Gombe, part of Yobe, Maiduguri and Jigawa state are dying on a daily basis especially reaching a sharp bend a few kilometers away from Birnin-Kudu local government area of Jigawa state.
The accident mostly occurred due to dangerous driving among motorists ranging from dangerous overtaking and over speeding on the highway, as just recently two hummer commercial vehicles collided in one of the sharp bends resulting in the death of dozens of passengers burnt to ashes.
It was on this note, the Permanent Secretary, federal ministry of works and housing, Dr. Babangida Hussain (Walin Kazaure) led a team of engineers, federal controllers of works and other management team of the ministry for an inspection visit, said the inspection tour was aimed at design and estimate for the implementation of the project by surveyors and engineers.
Dr. Babangida Hussain explained that the federal government is much concerned with complaints raised by Nigerians and notable politicians on the pretentious sections of the hazardous bends which bare travelers to threat.
He stated further that the federal government would act fast on the complaints raised by Nigerians, noting that the Federal Road Safety Corps FRSC and some prominent Nigerians were much worried about the killer spots on the highway resulting in the loss of lives on the dangerous bends.
His words:-“Federal Government will soon embark on realignment of 9 points with a distance of 6-7klm of dangerous bends along Birnin Kudu highway in Jigawa state to prevent loss of human lives on the road”.
The ministry, he explained further, would compute farmlands likely to be affected in the realignment project for possible compensation where appropriate, stressing that as soon as the report and the design were made available, the ministry would act quickly on it and forward it to the appropriate quarter for necessary action.
Also speaking, the chairman of Birnin-Kudu local government, Alhaji Magaji Yusuf expressed gratitude on the visit led by the permanent secretary and his team, saying with the commitment made by the federal government on the realignment project, when completed cases recorded on rampant accident in the sharp bends will become things of the past.