Frustrated by the incessant traffic gridlock and increasing crime wave along the Abuja -Keffi road corridor, the Federal Capital Territory Administration and Nasarawa State Government have initiated plans for collaborations to increase development in both areas.
The plans came to light when the Nasarawa state governor, Engineer Abdullahi Sule led a delegation from his state on a courtesy and technical visit to the FCT Administration, a statement by the minister of Abuja’s spokesman, Mr. Anthony Ogunleye, has disclosed.
Receiving his guests, FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello stressed the need for a joint development commission to harmonize all plans for the overall development of both Nasarawa State and the FCT. He said if necessary, such plans should include joint funding of projects.
The Minister cited areas of collaborations to include security, road linkages between Nasarawa and FCT, rail transport, road expansion to make for free flow of traffic and consequently, more investments opportunities for both parties.
Malam Bello also called on the Nasarawa State Government to partner with the FCT Administration in the on-going move to decongest traffic along the Abuja/Keffi road, explaining that the task team mandated to carry out the exercise needed the support of the Nasarawa State Government to extend the work to the state.
He stressed the need for both parties to put an end to illegal car parks and trading by the roadside. This, according to Malam Bello, would bring down travel time between the FCT and Nasarawa state, increase productivity in workers traversing both areas to get to work as well as bring about economic development.
The Nasarawa state governor had earlier stressed that partnership between the FCT and his state was a necessity and will be beneficial to both areas and the peoples. He solicited collaboration with the FCT for a mega terminal to house all the 22 motor parks in his state. When it takes off, Engr Sule said the terminal would ease off the traffic gridlock along the Abuja/Keffi road, bring down crime rate and reduce man hour wasted on the road.
The governor who lamented that amenities are over stretched in his state as a result of the increasing number of FCT workers who reside in Nasarawa state, urged the Minister to Partner with the state for the construction of the Apo/Uke road as well as other link roads between the state and the FCT as part of efforts to ease gridlock on the express way.
He also called for the support of the FCTA in removing traders on the road into the international market. The governor explained that although it is a gradual process, it was a matter of urgency to move the traders from the road, into the market and ensure that they do not return to the roadside.
Highlight of the visit was presentations by the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA); on the major link roads between Abuja and Nasarawa, level of completion and possible area of collaboration, the Satellite Town Development Agency (STDA); on the level of completion of the Karshi/Ara/Apo access road and the Ministerial Task Team on Traffic decongestion in the FCT.
