The General Manager,Abia State Roads Maintenance Agency (ABROMA), Engr. Okochi Okali, has frowned at the indiscriminate placing of speed breakers otherwise known as speed bumps on major roads in parts of the state.
Recall that the 6th Abia State House Of Assembly in 2017 had in a resolution frowned at the indiscriminate erection of speed bumps across the state and called on the state government through the state Ministry of Works to remove speed bumps along the Umuahia Uzuakoli,Ohafia road so as to reduce it’s negative effects on road users.
Speaking during an interview with Journalists in his office,Okali lamented the indiscriminate erection of speed bumps in major roads in the state which he said constitute danger to road users and destructive to government’s infrastructural development.
He noted with dismay that such bumps do not meet specifications in terms of size, width, quality and suitable placement which result to unnecessary road mishaps and damage of vehicles adding that the law only permits the use of speed bumps on roads close to schools, churches and markets.
Okali said that the state government was poised to implement the laws guiding speed breaker placement in the state adding that plans were underway to remove speed breakers that had been placed in unapproved areas before the end of March, 2020.
According to him, the agency as a means of controlling the indiscriminate placement of speed bumps,is partnering with the state Ministry of Works,it’s Transport counterpart as well as the Road Safety Corps to control placement of speed breakers across the state.
“I have been going round the state and I discovered that the manner at which people build speed bumps is disheartening.
“One can count more than 120 speed breakers between Umuahia and Ohafia. These indiscriminately placed speed bumps have the tendency to cause road accidents.
“The law on speed breaker placement specify the height and distance which should be used between each bump.
“We have written to government for approval to remove wrongly placed speed bumps and stop unnecessary placement of speed bumps.
“We will work in synergy with state Ministry of Works, Ministry of Transport and Federal Road Safety Corps to form a taskforce”,Okali said.
The ABROMA boss while disclosing that the Agency had plans to conduct a maintenance exercise on rural roads and bridges,said the exercise would be done in partnership with local government councils in the state to promote the development agenda of the Abia state government.
He thanked the state Governor,Dr Okezie Ikpeazu for making available heavy duty equipments such as Graders,Payloaders, Excavator and Bulldozers among others to assist the agency in the maintainance of rural and urban roads across the three Senatorial zones of the state.
