Motorists plying on Numan-Gombe Federal road have expressed concern over the slow pace of the on-going reconstruction of the road particularly from Numan-Lafiya Lamurde in Adamawa state to Cham town in Gombi state.
One of the motorists, Amos Aboki, a commercial bus driver, lamented that the construction firm handling the road, “lacks the capacity, manpower and construction machines to reconstruct the road.
Mr Aboki, who conveys passengers from Yola to Abuja, stressed that the Federal government needed to revisit the reconstruction of Yola /Gombe Federal road by changing the present Chinese firm due to poor performance.
DAILY NIGERIAN observed that the Yola/Gombe road reconstruction was among the early road construction contracts released by the Federal government through Federal Ministry of Works, Power and steel but while others reached 70%- 85%completion that of Yola/Cham is still at sand filling level.
Another Driver, Auwal wuro-Hauss appealed to authorities monitoring the execution of such roads to come to their aid.
“The minister of works and other relevant departments saddled with the responsibility for the reconstruction of federal road networks in the country should come to our aid because the firm handling this road (Yola/Gombe) is under-performing in all aspects,” Wuro-Hausa appealed.
However, a visit to the company’s yard along Demsa road by this reporter hit the rocks as the security guards at the main entrance refused him access, insisting that the Site Engineers were on break and visitors would not be allowed in.
But a source in the company, who pleaded anonymity, said his employers, Chinese Geological Construction Company are capable of handling the reconstruction.
The source further explained that the company is now on earth moving and sand filling of the road from Numan Bridge.
“The topography of the soil in the area needs high-quality approach so that it can last. Already, three heavy caterpillars have been drafted to the serious damage portions of the road around Dangote Savannah Sugar factory for repairs and maintenance before reaching the area for permanent reconstruction,” the source said.
