Senate Urges Urgent Rehab of Bauchi-Ningi Highway

On Wednesday, the Senate declared the Bauchi-Ningi Federal Highway a “death trap” and called for urgent rehabilitation. This resolution followed a motion sponsored by Senator Abdul Ningi (APC Bauchi Central), who noted that the highway, constructed in the late 1980s, has faced decades of neglect without major repairs.

He pointed out that the road's deterioration, characterized by extensive pavement failures and deep potholes, has drastically increased travel time from approximately one hour to nearly four hours for the 100-kilometer journey between Bauchi and Ningi. This situation has resulted in higher transportation costs, loss of productive man-hours, and disruption of economic activities.

Additionally, the poor condition of the highway has exposed commuters to frequent road crashes and security threats. The Senate urged the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) to conduct emergency repairs and called on the Federal Ministry of Works to begin comprehensive rehabilitation of the highway.

The Senate's Committee on Works was also mandated to assess the road and report back within four weeks.