The Federal Roads Maintenance Agency on Tuesday inaugurated a special intervention, codenamed ‘Operation Safeguard the Roads’, to tackle road traffic crashes in Kogi.

Muktar Abdulrahim, the FERMA engineer in Kogi, inaugurated the programme  at Ochadamu, along Itobe-Anyigba Road, Kogi. Mr Abdulrahim said that the programme was aimed at enhancing the efficiency of all federal roads for motorists and empowering youths along the road corridors.

“The programme is to discourage road vandalism and abuses, such as dumping of refuse on drainages and road sides, unauthorised cutting of the road, and stealing of critical facilities, such as bridge handrails, road signs, among others.

“It is designed to improve road safety, reduce travel time and costs, and provide temporary employment opportunities for youths in the communities along major federal roads. This initiative will also stimulate a sense of ownership of the road by communities along the route and properly safeguard it,” he stated.

Mr Abdulrahim explained that the move would ensure proper control of vegetation to enhance visibility, reduce road crashes, and desilt lined drains and culverts to prevent flooding and reduce the cost of road maintenance.

“Minor repairs, including patching of potholes, reinstatement of collapsed sections, will be done to enable free flow of traffic. We shall also conduct training on road maintenance operations for residents of communities along major roads,” he said.

Mr Abdulrahim thanked the managing director, Chukwu Emeka-Agbasi, for the laudable programme.

Awodun Daniel, FERMA’s zonal director for North-Central 1, restated that the programme would make the roads safer, particularly as the Yuletide approaches.

(NAN)