Fix these killer bridges

Again, yesterday precisely, 9th Sept., 2013, a national newspaper reported that a truck driver, one Mr Habila had lost control and nosedived into a river and died off a bridge near Unguwar Mai Gero in Chikun Local Government area of Kaduna State. Similar gory tales abound in many parts of Nigeria. Unfortunately, economically active Nigerians […]

Again, yesterday precisely, 9th Sept., 2013, a national newspaper reported that a truck driver, one Mr Habila had lost control and nosedived into a river and died off a bridge near Unguwar Mai Gero in Chikun Local Government area of Kaduna State. Similar gory tales abound in many parts of Nigeria.
Unfortunately, economically active Nigerians in their most productive age, patriotic and resourceful people that shoulders responsibilities of many dependents; are one dying needlessly due to poor state of Nigerian roads. And more worrisome to all discerning observers are the presence of killer bridges along these roads. Over the years, lack of concrete embankments has rendered them into deadly traps!
Fear of those bridges collapsing during rainy seasons is the beginning of wisdom for most travellers. As at today, many have gone; and Federal government seems oblivious of what is happening. I often wonder, and ask myself a distressing question: what is the use of highway engineers working under federal ministry of works in the 36 states of Nigeria? Are they really doing their job properly and in accordance with schedules? Have they notified their superiors in Abuja about the need to do something about killer bridges? Nigerians need to know what is delaying the execution of this all important project that will surely go a long way in saving life.
I think the total number of killer bridges between Abuja and Kaduna cannot more than ten (10). Out of these numbers, about seven have no concrete embankments. Between Kaduna and Zaria, there are four deadly bridges located at Rigachikun, Jaji and near Nuhu Bamalli polytechnic in Zaria. The location of the other deadly bridge could not be deciphered properly, but it do certainly exist somewhere along Kaduna-Zaria road!
In between Zaria and Kano, three deadly bridges without embankments used to exist at Garun Mallam, Tamburawa and Na’ibawa. My heart and definitely, that of many travellers used beat faster while approaching those bridges; but today, all that had become history.
A serving senator representing Kano central zone gratifyingly does something positive about those bridges as part of his constituency projects. Motorist flying Kano-Zaria road are now living witnesses to the quality of job executed by SURE-P and the safety that has been ensured.
I believe the same effort should be replicated in Kaduna and everywhere in Nigeria where similar deadly bridges existed. The senators representing Kaduna North and Kaduna South should take note and copy from their colleague from Kano, senator-Alhaji Garba Lado and liaises with SURE-P to see how similar projects can be executed on other killer bridges along Zaria to Tafa, to save us from the recurring harrowing experience.
If a senator can achieved success in one part of Nigeria, nothing should stop other senators of the federal republic from undertaking the same effort in their localities. This project once carried out will never be revisited again until many years later, unlike pot holes that are recurring in nature as a result of constant changes in weather conditions; wear and tear and engineering design and specifications, in which case, portions of the road may fail at different locations from time to time.

Kabiru Tsakuwa <[email protected]>;