By Our Reporter
The House of Representatives on Tuesday resolved to urged the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing to make provision for the reconstruction of the Katsina–Ala–Abaji–Tordonga–Harga axis of the road in the 2021 Supplementary Budget proposal.
The House also urged the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development to provide relief materials for the displaced populations in the affected communities along the road and ensure that they return to their homes.
Again, the House mandated the Committees on Works, Appropriation and Women Affairs and Social Development to ensure compliance. The following resolutions were sequel to a motion brought by Mr Richard Gbande (PDP, Benue).
The Benue lawmaker while debating the motion noted that the Katsina–Ala–Abaji–Tordonga–Harga–Gawa–Takum Road was a Trunk “A” Federal Road cutting across major towns in Benue State into Taraba State.
He also pointed that the road was first constructed in the early 1980’s during the administration of President Shehu Shagari. According to him, “the road is the only route through the Katsia–Ala and Takum axis, covering a major farming population of Taraba and Benue States in Katsina–Ala, Ukum, Takum, Donga and Ussa Local Goverriment Areas across the two states.
“The Gawa–Takum section of the road covering about 16km along the Taraba axis was rehabilitated by the Federal Ministry of Works in 2015, leaving out the 53km Harga–TorDonga–Abaji–Katsina–Ala axis of in Benue State.
Similarly, the member expressed concerns over the partial rehabilitation of the road which he said has not yielded much impact as commuters go through a lot of difficulty on the longer 53km section of the road which is in a state of total disrepair.
He continued, “the road, which was constructed in the early 1980’s and had never been rehabilitated, has now collapsed and most parts are nearly impassable. This is due to the dilapidated condition of the road, criminal elements have taken advantage to unleash mayhem on the inhabitants of the surrounding areas and unsuspecting commuters.
Gbande further lamented that due to the prolonged activities of criminals in the area, farmers in Harga, Tor Donga, Sai, Abaji and Katsina–Ala have been displaced as their farms have been taken over by bandits. Stating that economic and social importance of the Katsina–Ala–Abaji–Tordonga–Harga–Gawa–Takum Federal Road linking Taraba and Benue States was very key for economic development.
