Residents of the Federal Capital Territory especially road users have decried the snail pace of the ongoing construction of some highways and bridges in the nation`s capital, NatureNews checks have revealed.
A cross-section of the residents of Abuja which include commuters, motorists, other road users who spoke with our correspondent also lamented the various forms of hardship visited on them due to the alleged foot dragging of the concerned parties in the construction works even as they express fear on the implication on their health.
NatureNews reports that series of construction are going on in and around the Abuja metropolis. These include Galadinmawa roundabout, Area1 roundabout, Area3 roundabout and Gudu roundabout. Work on these construction sites has, however, been lingering thereby obstructing residents` way of life including their means of livelihood and health.
Finding shows that the construction sector contributed about 23% of air pollution, 50% of the climate change, 40% of the drinking water and 50% of landfill waste to the environment.
NatureNews correspondent gathered that the ongoing projects had, in some situations, created sites for open defecation and dump hills for waste in these areas.
Also, NatureNews reports that the Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman H. Adamu, promised to make the FCT a model of Open Defecation Free for the rest of the country as the ministry worked towards achieving its tasks ahead of 2025.
Galadimawa roundabout
A roadside seller, Mrs. Gladys Danladi, told our correspondent that residents were facing challenges with the uncompleted construction of the roads. She added that a lot of accidents had occurred at the area and they were caused by the ongoing construction.
Mrs Danladi, however, called on the government to brace up and complete the roads.
“The contractors are lazy about the job. It is taking too long. Now we are approaching the rainy season again. During the last rainy season we suffered erosion. We do not want that to happen again.”
Also, a commercial tricycle rider who did not want his name in print said, “The government doesn’t listen to us, in Nigeria. The government should please complete roads, if they don’t complete the roads we will remain like this and continue suffering. Motorists are the ones suffering the most because of the current state of the road. There is usually heavy traffic there.”
An official of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Mr. Joel Babatunde, lamented that the roads had been under construction since the beginning of the current administration and had now dragged for about now eight years.
“The roads contributed to the accidents which occur at the Airport Junction. Also, the contractor is very slow with the work. The workers only come once in two months. Whether it is the government causing the delay or the contractors, I do not know. All I know is that the traffic jam in these areas is too much,” he added.
A motorist, Mr Wasiu Adebajo, revealed that nobody knew what was going on with the roads, between the contractors and the government and that there was nothing anyone could do about it.
Abubakar Magaji called on the government to fix the road because “fixing these roads will boost the national economy as everything will move smoothly.”
Area 1 roundabout
A motorist, Mr. Peter Andrew, also told our correspondent that the road had been under construction for long adding “we don’t have a park and yet we still pay our levy. The roads are very bad.
“You can see that there is dust everywhere. It is detrimental to human health. The government called the place a flyover bridge but it looks like desert with dust everywhere. The contractors usually dump sand on the road if they want to start working on the road. The would later move the sand again to another location of their choice.”
Another motorist, Mr. Moses Joshua, said the Area1 motor park was not big enough to accommodate motorists and that was why they moved to the new place.
“Our passengers are complaining about the roads and they use to go a far distance before they can access us and during rainy season, there is no bus stop to drop passengers.”
A sachet water hawker, Muhammadu Ali, said “I am not happy with the status of this road. As the federal capital of Nigeria we ought to have good roads. Look at dust everywhere. I usually come from home clean every morning but on returning I would be covered with dust. Sometimes I find it difficult selling my water because of the dust.”
Area 3 roundabout
A bus conductor who also pleaded to remain anonymous, said, “The holdup is one of the problems we are facing. Also people find it difficult crossing the highway because of the danger of being knocked down by speeding vehicles. Going to Area 1, they will have treked far before they can access the road. For instance, people going to Marabba would have to walk down before they could access the road. And we motorists are losing our passengers all because of the construction of the bridge. The government should construct flyover for people not endanger their lives.”
A road user, Mr Anthony Jonathan, said the government should construct a footbridge, known as pedestrian bridge.
He expressed worry about the way the roads were being constructed describing it as bad. “For instance the pedestrian bridge is supposed to be very close to the overhead bridge so that people can have access to their different routes.
“You can see the track from Area 3 Junction to Apo Bridge is not an easy task. The government should look at it critically. They are making the people to suffer. If you are not mobile in Abuja, you can’t make a move. The government should help the masses,” he said.
Gudu roundabout
A member of the NURTW, Mr. Muhammad Sanda, also lamented that the road was terrible considering the fact that it was one way adding that a lot of traffic jam took place in the vicinity.
“The road is too narrow for us and our passengers are complaining but we understand that the road is a project under construction. Residents of Apo, Apo Machine and others axis are not happy. They are complaining of spending too many hours on the road because of its bad state and gridlock.”
A motorist, Mr. Aminu Aliyu Abubakar, added “We are suffering from inhaling dust which is detrimental and hazardous to human health; we want the government to help us complete these roads.”
Another motorist, Mr. Stephen Usman, also complained, “we are suffering from dust.”
He called on the FCT Minister to talk to the contractors to complete the roads quickly.