FRSC Blames Contractors, Driver Indiscipline For Lokoja-Abuja Gridlock

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has attributed the persistent traffic gridlock along the Lokoja-Abuja highway to inadequate traffic management by construction companies, vehicle breakdowns and indiscipline among motorists.

The Deputy Corridor Commander of the FRSC, Abraham Daniel, disclosed this at a stakeholders’ meeting convened by the Kogi State Government to address road safety and traffic management challenges along major highways in the state.

Presenting a Federal Highway Situation Report at the meeting, Daniel said some contractors handling federal road projects often close long stretches of highways without making adequate alternative arrangements for motorists.

He said the practice frequently resulted in severe congestion, particularly when construction activities were combined with potholes, vehicle breakdowns and other road-related challenges.

According to him, construction companies need to take the motoring public into consideration when carrying out rehabilitation and reconstruction works on major highways.

Daniel also appealed to senior government officials and other high-profile road users to obey traffic officers and cooperate with measures introduced to manage congestion.

He urged motorists to plan their journeys ahead, while calling on transport unions to intensify driver education and promote discipline among commercial drivers.

The FRSC commander explained that highway congestion was usually caused by a combination of human, mechanical and environmental factors, noting that while mechanical breakdowns could be difficult to predict, impatience, poor driver education and indiscipline could worsen traffic situations.

He disclosed that the FRSC had engaged some contractors to open blocked portions of the Lokoja-Abuja highway, resulting in improved traffic movement around the Banda axis.

“Presently, Banda is free. There’s no problem at that axis,” he said.

However, Daniel said the Corps was unable to establish contact with contractors working around the Amariya and Karara sections during the recent week-long gridlock.

He explained that poor road conditions and potholes around the affected sections had forced motorists to reduce their speed, further slowing traffic.

He therefore called on contractors to urgently rehabilitate and open portions of the highway that were not under active construction to improve traffic flow.

Daniel further advocated stronger collaboration among security agencies during major traffic incidents, stressing that road safety should not be treated as the sole responsibility of the FRSC.

He commended the military, Navy and police for their previous assistance in managing traffic crises and called for the involvement of other security agencies, including the Nigeria Immigration Service and the Nigerian Correctional Service, when necessary.

Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Kogi State Governor on Federal Project Implementation, Obasi Emmanuel, said most of the major traffic gridlocks recorded in the state occurred on federal highways, particularly the strategic Abuja-Lokoja corridor.

Emmanuel described the corridor as a major link between northern and southern parts of the country and said finding a lasting solution to congestion along the route would significantly improve traffic movement and the image of the state.

He alleged that contractors were responsible for more than 30 per cent of gridlocks on federal roads, claiming that some had failed to comply with directives issued by the Minister of Works.

According to him, the minister had, during a visit to Kogi in August, directed contractors not to close more than one or two kilometres of road within a construction corridor at a time.

Emmanuel, however, alleged that some contractors continued to close stretches of up to 25 kilometres, including sections where construction work had already been completed.

He cited instances where contractors reportedly left completed portions of roads closed because of delays in receiving payment for their work.

The special adviser also said the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) had raised concerns over inadequate funding for comprehensive palliative works, while its intervention on roads already awarded to contractors was restricted.

Emmanuel identified frequent breakdowns involving heavy-duty vehicles as another major source of congestion, saying more than 500 trucks were counted along the highway within two hours.

To address the problem, he disclosed that the Kogi State Government had offered about 40 hectares of land to the Nigerian Shippers’ Council for the development of a transit park.

He said the proposed facility would provide space for trucks to park, refuel and undergo maintenance, while also giving drivers an opportunity to rest instead of leaving articulated vehicles on the highway.

Officials of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, he added, were expected in the state to inspect the proposed site.

Meanwhile, the Special Adviser to Governor Ahmed Ododo on Road Safety Matters, Dr Suberu Yusuf-John, announced plans by the state government to deploy mobile courts and other enforcement measures on highways during the Ember months.

Yusuf-John said the measures were aimed at curbing traffic violations, improving road safety and preventing avoidable gridlocks during the busy travel period.

He expressed regret over the recent week-long congestion on the Lokoja-Abuja highway and assured residents and travellers that the government was coordinating with relevant agencies to ensure that motorists were not stranded on the road during the festive period.

He said the stakeholders’ meeting was organised to bring together government agencies, security organisations, transport operators and other relevant stakeholders, stressing that effective traffic management required collective responsibility.

Yusuf-John also said the state government would regulate the movement of articulated vehicles by determining appropriate periods for their movement on major highways.

He maintained that while the government was committed to creating an enabling environment for businesses to thrive, operators could not simultaneously perform regulatory functions.

The stakeholders’ meeting formed part of efforts by the Kogi State Government and relevant agencies to develop coordinated measures for improving traffic flow and road safety along the Lokoja-Abuja corridor, particularly ahead of the Ember months and the expected increase in vehicular movement.