Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri has expressed deep sadness over the recent fatal accident along the Girei-Jimeta Road and has personally visited the homes of several bereaved families to offer his condolences.
Speaking to members of the Correspondents’ Chapel in his office in Yola, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Hon. Leader Teneke, said the governor was particularly saddened by the continuing accidents on the road that have claimed innocent lives.
“One of the victims was a close relative. He has personally visited the homes of several bereaved families to offer his condolences. I accompanied him on one of those visits on Wednesday evening. Out of respect for the families, the administration has so far avoided turning the matter into a media spectacle,” Teneke stated.
The commissioner explained that a large section of the state capital’s population has shifted toward the higher Mega Axis, the main road corridor, and the newly developing routes linking these areas. As a result, Girei and Yola are rapidly merging into one continuous urban stretch. This sharp rise in residents has driven a corresponding increase in traffic volumes on these roads.
One of the most serious problems, he noted, is the near-total absence of shoulders along significant stretches of the highway. In an emergency, motorists have almost no room to pull off or manoeuvre safely.
An equally pressing concern is the explosion in the number of commercial tricycles (keke napep) operating on these routes. The problem is especially acute on the road leading to the bridge and onward to town, particularly on Wednesdays. Many of the riders are young people who have received little or no proper training before taking to the road.
Owners simply purchase the tricycles and hand them over to whoever is willing to ride and return a daily balance.
The same surge in traffic and safety challenges is visible on the Numan Road and the Irish Road, where the situation has become particularly dangerous.
Teneke said the state government has already carried out substantial improvements in the Federal Housing Estate along the same corridor, upgrading internal road networks and drainage systems and extending works across to the other side of the dual carriageway. However, the main highway itself remains a federal road and has therefore not been reconstructed by the state.
Earlier, when the access road to the NYSC camp was built, the state government and the contractor created shoulders and improved drainage on the steep downward section approaching the bridge—an area that had previously been extremely hazardous.
Both the state government and relevant federal agencies are now examining several options. These include the installation of speed bumps to slow traffic, restrictions on the movement of heavy trucks and trailers during certain hours (for example, limiting them between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m.), and the introduction of enforced speed limits from the bridge through to the university area.
“Because the road is under federal jurisdiction, any such measures will require formal engagement with the Federal Ministry of Works and other relevant agencies before they can be implemented,” the commissioner noted.
He added that the administration is determined to find a workable solution that balances safety with the legitimate needs of road users.
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