Ember Months: There Shouldn’t Be Any Barrier on the Roads This Season- Fashola

• President approved opening of 2nd Niger Bridge  for traffic in December

The Honourable Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola SAN said, “There should not be any barrier on the roads this season.”

He made the remark while chairing a meeting with stakeholders on road sector in Nigeria in Abuja.

He said, “We have told all the contractors that they shouldn’t open anymore sections for construction i.e. there shouldn’t be any barrier on the roads this season. “

Fashola also disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the opening of  the 2nd Niger bridge to traffic from December 15, 2022 to January 15,2023 to ease human, goods, services and vehicular movements during this yuletide from the Western part of the country to the Eastern part.

Fashola said, “Let me be clear again .We haven’t finished construction work but we would open it for people to use to relieve the pressure from the old bridge. It wouldn’t be available for heavy duty trucks. It would only be small vehicles for now until we finish our work. On the 15th of January 2023 we would reverse that movement for those coming from the east to the west. We have told all the contractors that they shouldn’t open any sections of Federal roads for construction during the yuletide. That means that there shouldn’t be any barrier on the roads this season.”

In his remarks the representative of the Permaent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing (FMW&H)  , Engr. Chukwunwike Uzor, Director Highways Planning and Development of the Ministry  said  that  the essence of the ember months meeting was to sensistise  road users and other stakeholders  towards having a successful road passage.

The Director South-West, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Engr. Adedamola Kuti during his graphical presentation of the roads under the Ministry on the 2022 ember months stakeholders meeting,    highlighted all the critical roads across the six geo political zones of the country under the Ministry, and their conditions with the efforts made so far to put them  in good condition towards having  good travelling experience during the ember months. Engr.Kuti said “All controllers of works have been directed to remove construction barriers as from the 15th of December 2022 on the roads for road users to have seamless driving during the festive period.”

The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of FERMA, Engr. Nuruddeen Abdurahman Rafindadi who spoke at the meeting said,  “We have identified some selected locations within 17 corridors where Federal Roads Maintenance Agency  is  having interventions across the country presently in working relationship  with the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing.”

The representative of the Corps Marshall of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC ) at the event, Assistant Corps Marshal Rindom Kumven  said,  “All Federal Road Safety Commands  have  been directed to collaborate with stakeholders and the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing to implement presidential directive  on road infrastructure and  we have flagged off the ember months sensitization  in all the state commands  to create awareness among the motoring public in order to  have hitch free traffic movement during the ember months. “

From the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners represented by Kassim Ibrahim, they appreciated the Ministry of Works and Housing and its Agencies for making the roads better. He said, “We will ensure we put the roads into good use.”  He drew the attention of the ministry to the activities of some cement companies that ply the roads with overweight cargos.

The Second Deputy Chairman of the Petroleum Tankers Drivers, Comrade Peter Mudesola said at the meeting, “We can see that the roads are getting better. We thank the ministry and all the Agencies for the efforts.”

The Managing Director of Mothercat Nigeria Limited, Jark Najjar and the Marketing Manager of CGC Nigeria Limited, Engr.  Kevin Jian with all other road contractors at the event thanked the ministry for financing their operations through regular special funds and budgets. They expressed their readiness to make the roads safe during the yuletide.