People always talk about the construction companies but what was discovered is that the construction companies do not sometimes put into cognizance the motoring public when they are doing their construction
By Mmesoma Onwuka
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has blamed recurring traffic gridlocks on the Lokoja-Abuja highway on inadequate traffic management arrangements by some contractors handling federal road projects.
The Deputy Corridor Commander of the FRSC, Abraham Daniel, disclosed this during a stakeholders’ meeting on road safety and traffic management in Kogi State.
Presenting a Federal Highway Situation Report, Daniel said some construction companies often close long stretches of highways without making adequate provisions for motorists, thereby creating severe congestion.
He said contractors needed to consider the movement and safety of road users when planning construction activities.
“People always talk about the construction companies but what was discovered is that the construction companies do not sometimes put into cognizance the motoring public when they are doing their construction,” he said.
Daniel also appealed to senior government officials and Very Important Personalities (VIPs) to respect the instructions of traffic officers, particularly at locations experiencing serious congestion.
He urged VIPs and other motorists to exercise patience and cooperate with road safety personnel during traffic incidents.
“If there is any senior officer present, I want to solicit that you please help us talk to the VIPs. They need to obey officers on the road, they need to understand the situation and we must all be patient while travelling,” he said.
The FRSC commander advised motorists to plan their journeys ahead of time and urged transport unions to intensify driver education.
He explained that traffic congestion could be triggered by human, mechanical and environmental factors, noting that while vehicle breakdowns could occur unexpectedly, impatience, indiscipline and inadequate driver training could worsen the situation.
FRSC engages contractors over traffic flow
Daniel said the FRSC had engaged some construction companies as part of efforts to ease congestion along the highway, noting that the intervention had resulted in the opening of the Banda axis.
“Presently, Banda is free. There’s no problem at that axis,” he said.
He, however, disclosed that the Corps could not establish contact with contractors working around the Amariya and Karara areas during the recent week-long gridlock on the Lokoja-Abuja highway.
According to him, the FRSC attempted to get the contractors to create additional openings around Karara, but was unable to reach them.
“We looked for the contractors at Karara to help us provide a good opening at the other side that they are not constructing but we were not able to see them,” he said.
Daniel said the poor condition of some portions of the highway, including potholes, also contributed to slow movement of vehicles.
He urged contractors to rehabilitate and open sections of roads that were not under active construction to facilitate smoother traffic flow.
The FRSC commander also called for stronger collaboration among security agencies during major traffic incidents.
He said road safety should not be left to the FRSC alone, urging the military, immigration, correctional authorities and other agencies to deploy personnel to support traffic management during serious gridlocks.