FRSC: Why motorists are spending hours crossing bridge on Abuja-Lokoja highway

By Thompson Yamput

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has blamed impatience and non cooperation of motorists with traffic officials for the gridlock currently being experienced on the Lokoja-Abuja road.

The Kogi Command of FRSC said this while expressing frustration over the gridlock that has been on Ogbobo/Ozi to Murtala Mohammed Bridge at Koton-Karfe in Kogi since Sunday.
expressed frustration over

Mr Kumar Tsukwam, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Sector Commander in Kogi said that officials of the corps have been battling to clear the gridlock on the road since Sunday but the impatience of motorists had made it difficult.

“The situation is sad and very unfortunate considering the time motorists and commuters spend before crossing the gridlock to continue with their journey.

“The gridlock is from Ogbobo/Ozi to Murtala Mohammed Bridge at Koton-Karfe in Kogi.

“Aside the fact that the road is under construction, some vehicles broke down on the single lane coupled with motorists impatience.

“I think motorists are to be blamed for their display of impatience and blocking their colleagues coming from the opposite direction.

“We are trying our best to clear the road to ensure easy passage for the travellers on the road, ” he said.

A motorists, Mohammed Yusuf, said he spent nine hours on the road before reaching Lokoja from Abuja.

“I had passengers from Abuja traveling to Lokoja. I left Abuja some minutes to 3:00p.m. on Sunday, but could only reach there (Lokoja) by midnight.

“I’m here at Natako park this Monday morning trying to get passengers to return to Abuja with the hope that the gridlock might have reduced,” he said.

According to Yusuf, motorists are burning fuel on the road even in this era of high cost of fuel.

Also, a commuter, Christopher Adamu, said that he spent the whole night in the gridlock though he left Abuja on Sunday evening.

Adamu called on the authorities to do something drastic to clear the gridlock to enable travellers move freely along the Lokoja-Abuja road.

He said that from the Murtala Mohammed bridge to Koton-Karfe, the right lane was blocked.

A construction company is working on the right side of the Lokoja-Abuja road from Koton-Karfe to Abaji.

(NAN)