Commuters plying the Kagoro by Nnamdi Azikiwe Expressway in Kaduna State have lamented the poor condition of the road, saying it is causing congestion and accidents.
The commuters made this known in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria on Monday.
A transport union official at Bakin Ruwa–Kagoro unit, Yahaya Dauda, described the road as congested with impatient vehicle owners.
“Anytime there is an accident, the place becomes congested, and the only people that are able to move are pedestrians.
“The other side of the road is flooded, which makes it hard for vehicles to pass. We are calling on the government to please fix the road because it will reduce the traffic,” he said.
A driver who regularly plies the road from Kaduna to Abuja, Abdulaziz Hamisu, said the road is becoming more difficult to navigate since reconstruction commenced.
He explained that big trucks and tankers speed while tricycles drive recklessly, adding that sometimes the congestion gets so bad that a journey of one hour takes up to three to four hours.
“I call on the government to please come and assist us to fix the other lane to ease the people’s suffering,” he said.
A student, Bilkisu Zubairu, said she crosses the road regularly when going to and from school.
Zubairu said she finds it hard to cross as most vehicles do not slow down for pedestrians, adding that, as a result, she gets to school late and sometimes misses her lectures.
She said that traffic and stagnant water on the other lane also contribute to worsening the situation.
“It has become more difficult because vehicles now move on one lane of the road.
“The government should please fix the road because pedestrians find it hard to move around due to the stagnant water and congestion of vehicles.”
Meanwhile, an officer of the Kaduna State Vigilance Service, Aliyu Sulaiman, said that Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State had created a Joint Task Force, which commenced operations on April 28 to help control traffic.
According to him, since the operation started, accidents have reduced and lives protected, as the task force helps pedestrians to cross the road.
“We know that the governor is trying his best, but we need more supplies like torchlights because we work even at night,” he said. (NAN)
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