From Ben Adaji Jalingo
Minister for State for Regional Development, Alhaji Uba Maigari, has announced the commencement of reconstruction work on the collapsed Namnai bridge along Wukari-Jalingo Highway in Taraba State.
Maigari, who made this known recently during an assessment visit on the collapsed Namnai bridge, said the federal government is concerned about the collapsed bridge and that work will commence early next week.
He recalled that engineers and surveyors from the North East Development Commission, NEDC, carried out technical assessment of the bridge in the last six weeks with a view to remediating its damage.
He disclosed that the collapsed Namnai bridge is strategic and one of the 11 bridges in the North East that requires urgent attention.
“Because of the importance that the federal government attaches to the collapsed bridge, I had to cut short my holiday to come down for this assessment visit.
He expressed the commitment of the federal government to work on Namnai, Mayo Kham, Bantaje and Suntai bridges all in the state.
According to the minister, his visit is a testament that the federal government is worried over the plight of the people who ply the road that links Southern Nigeria and the North East.
“As a responsible and responsive government, it is our responsibility to fix the collapsed brigade as soon as possible to relief motorists plying the road of the hardship they have been going through since its collapse”.
“We are in a holiday, but we cut it short to give attention to the situation.
“The governor of Taraba had visited us in the last six weeks and we discussed on emergency intervention on Namnai, Mayo Kham, Bantaje and Suntai bridges.
“With this situation which is a natural disaster, we are still going to commence work on Namnai bridge next week,” the minister assured.
Our correspondent recalls that Namnai bridge along Wukari-Jalingo Highway which links the eastern part of the country to the north collapsed in 2024 due to heavy flood during the last rainy season.
