Friday 12 August 2011

Who Is pocketing our money and profiting from our blood? Nigerian Roads Make Us Weep!


Photo Credit.. Businessday










I read these two contradicting pieces of News... All I can ask is, Please can someone tell me what changed on Nigerian roads between April 6, 2011 and August 5, 2011. Anyway I know the answer...the death toll has increased. 



According to the FRSC's Corps Marshal and Chief Executive, Mr. Osita Chidoka, Nigeria accounts for the least number of vehicles but it has the highest number of road crash casualties.
Chidoka, who spoke in Abuja during the first executive meeting of the Christian Association of Nigeria, said that Nigeria was among developing countries contributing 50 per cent of 1.3 million deaths annually across the globe as a result of road traffic crashes....The Punch Wed April 6, 2011


Owerri— Mr. Osita Chidoka, Corps Marshal and Chief Executive, Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Wednesday, said road accidents on Nigerian roads will be reduced by 50 per cent in another four years
Chidoka explained that the major reason for accidents was not as a result of the deplorable condition of the roads, but the recklessness of the users of the roads, which had led to several deaths...Vanguard August 5, 2011
But then this is what the Daily Independent August 11,2011 has to say...

The recent revelation that no fewer than 37 contracts awarded by the Federal government for the construction and rehabilitation of roads across the country valued at N308.13 billion between 2002 and 2010 have yet to be completed, did not come to us as a surprise. This is because Nigerians have long been confounded by the apparent discontinuities between official avowals and performance among Nigeria’s public officials especially in the decrepit transport sector. Contained in a document titled “completed and Substantially Completed Projects” and Projects Awarded Under 2010 Appropriation:, details of the contracts state that 11 road projects valued at N131.53 billion were awarded between 2002 and 2009, while 26 projects with total value of N176 billion were awarded in 2010 alone.
Some of the road projects include the N36.3 billion Benin-Shagamu road project; the N42.3 billion expansion of the Abuja-Abaji road contract awarded to three different contractors since 2006, the N15 billion contract for the construction of the Kano Western Bypass awarded in May, 2007; and the N30.85 billion contract for the expansion into dual lanes of the Onitsha-Owerri Expressway and the Onitsha Eastern Bypass awarded in July 2002.


And these are what we see everyday...



PhotoSource...[http://www.leadership.ng/nga/articles/3377/2011/08/07/bad_roads_nation%E2%80%99s_curse.html]






Photo Source...[http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/photo/2010-09/06/c_13479830_2.htm]

Like every other Nigerian, I ask again , What happened to all the contracts, the contractors and the contract sums.. Phew I tire!

4 comments:

tchinny said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

As the years go by the gullies stretch in length and become even more blood thirsty. The Government sits impotently and gape like a moron scarcely comprehending the dangers. Indices of a failed state!

Uche Okorie said...

4000 BC Roads in the 21st Century! What a gory sight. How come Nigerians ain't protesting? Nigerians should be out on the streets.

Anonymous said...

This is a pity, i often wonder where do we begin, Our government has failed in almost every aspect. i think what we need is a new ideology, people need to wake up and become responsible. its our responsibilty to build the Nigeria of our dream, so i still believe there is hope. i believe this upcoming generation will do things differently and bring about the change we desire.