Nigeria Senate Urges Re-award of Bauchi-Ningi Highway Contract Amid Deterioration

The Nigerian Senate has called for the immediate re-award of the contract for the Bauchi-Ningi Federal Highway reconstruction, highlighting the road's critical importance and current state of disrepair. The Senate also mandated the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) to perform emergency repairs on damaged sections while awaiting full rehabilitation.

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The Senate has urged the Federal Government to direct the Federal Ministry of Works to re-award the contract for the reconstruction of the Bauchi-Ningi Federal Highway, citing the road’s deteriorated condition and its importance as a major link between the North-East and North-West.

Senator Abdul Ningi, who sponsored the motion, noted that the highway, built in the late 1980s, has suffered decades of neglect. This lack of maintenance has led to severe pavement failures and deep potholes, transforming a journey that should take one hour into a four-hour ordeal. The poor road conditions have increased transportation costs, reduced productivity, and disrupted economic activities.

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The Bauchi-Ningi Federal Highway, constructed in the late 1980s, has suffered decades of neglect without any major rehabilitation.

Furthermore, the Senate expressed concern that the highway's deplorable state poses significant security risks, including accidents and armed robbery, especially when vehicles are forced to slow down or stop on damaged portions. The neglect impacts interstate commerce, agricultural value chains, and regional integration, contradicting the government's economic growth and connectivity goals.

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The poor condition of the road has significantly increased travel time, turning what should be a one-hour journey between Bauchi and Ningi, a distance of about 100 kilometres, into a nearly four-hour trip.

The Senate Committee on Works will conduct an on-the-spot assessment and engage stakeholders to recommend legislative action within four weeks. The urgency stems from the potential for continued endangerment of lives and property, increased transportation costs, and worsening economic hardship for those reliant on this strategic transport corridor.

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The deplorable condition of the highway has exposed commuters to frequent road accidents, armed robbery and other security threats, particularly where vehicles are forced to slow down or become stranded on damaged portions of the road.