Jonathan commissions Taraba flyover littered with refuse

Former President Goodluck Jonathan on Friday commissioned a 22 km flyover and dual carriage road, which waslittered with refuse in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital.

The administration of the state’s outgoing governor, Darius Ishaku, built the flyover.

The former President praised the governor for the initiative towards the execution of the projects after the commissioning.

He also appreciated the government and the people of Taraba for the warm reception and the opportunity to commission the project.

Mr Jonathan also commended the quality of the project, saying, “I want to commend the contractors and the governor for the quality of work. ”

“This is a project that will open up Jalingo to attract more investment.

Mr Ishaku thanked Mr Jonathan for the visit and encouragement.

When asked why he invited the former president to commission the project, Mr Ishaku said Mr Jonathan gave him the opportunity to serve as a minister in three different ministries from where he got the experience to govern Taraba.

“He uniquely moved me to Niger-Delta from power, and even in the Niger-Delta he combined the ministry of environment to me.”

“Cumulative being in the ministry of power, Niger Delta and environment all was like a tutelage period for me, being the governor it helped me a lot in applying all the skills I learnt,” he said.

PREMIUM TIMES had reported how the flyover had been overtaken by traders and commercial transport operators who set up illegal parks around the facility.

As Mr Jonathan commissioned the flyover on Friday, the entire surrounding of the bridge was littered with broken bottles, used plastic, dirty nylons, and rags.

The flyover is also defaced with campaign posters of candidates in the recently concluded general elections in the state.

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The Road Block area of Jalingo, where the flyover is located, is one of the busiest locations in the metropolis.

The area is renowned for unrestricted trading activities.

Due to the constant commercial activities and poor refuse disposal system, waste and rubbish used by traders and commuters in the busy area are dumped indiscriminately.

Mohammed Inusa, a trader in the area, said he was unhappy with how the place is littered with waste.

“Government is not doing anything to help by providing waste disposables, so there is nothing we can do.”

A former chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in the state, Jonah Kataps, described Jalingo as the dirtiest state capital in Nigeria.

Speaking to this newspaper in Jalingo, Mr Kataps cited road block as an example to express his displeasure over the horrid sanitation of the state capital.

He criticised the government for not making any effort to keep the city clean.

“Despite the strategic location of the road block being on a major highway, it remains the dirtiest location in the city, and the government is not making any effort to change the ugly scenario.”

He said the ugly site was exposing residents of the area, traders and passers-by to possible epidemics and other environmental hazards.

He noted that, in most areas, the drainage system had been blocked by waste, and the gutters ooze a pungent stench.