Residents of Lokogoma have appealed to the Federal Capital Territory Administration and Abuja Municipal Area Council to rehabilitate their deplorable access road and address poor drainage.

Augustine Osayande, chairman of Pentville Estate, Lokogoma, made the appeal in an interview on Thursday in Abuja.

He also lamented the lack of basic infrastructure and essential public services for residents. 

Mr Osayande said the area lacked adequate roads, potable water and accessible public healthcare facilities, adding that residents and estates relied on personal resources to repair the roads serving the area.

He said the major access road had deteriorated significantly, with little or no meaningful government intervention to rehabilitate, maintain, or upgrade it despite the growing population.

According to him, residents have repeatedly appealed to the relevant authorities for assistance, but their efforts are yet to yield tangible results.

He urged the FCTA and AMAC to inspect the road and urgently begin its rehabilitation, saying the extent of the deterioration requires substantial funding beyond the estate’s capacity.

Mr Osayande said the poor condition of the road caused hardship for residents, motorists and other road users, particularly during the rainy season.

Also speaking, Muntari Nafiu, a commercial motorcyclist, said the road is riddled with potholes and too narrow for two vehicles to pass each other freely.

He said motorists often had to wait for oncoming vehicles to pass before proceeding, as the damaged sections left insufficient space for smooth movement.

Another resident, Shafiu Suleiman, said the deep potholes forced motorists to drive slowly, even when in a hurry, to avoid damage to their vehicles.

Mr Suleiman said road users struggled with the flooded road during the rainy season until a mini drainage channel was constructed to capture and redirect surface water.

He added that poor road conditions had increased the frequency of motorcycle repairs, while pedestrians frequently splashed dirty water when vehicles passed through the affected sections.

He said road users had to exercise extra caution to avoid potholes and prevent muddy water from staining their clothes.

Echoing the same views, Mahmoud Abdussalam, a motorist and resident, said the road condition has affected his vehicle, compelling him to visit the mechanic frequently.

Sadi Lawal, another commercial motorcyclist, said the road had remained in poor condition for a long time and urged the authorities to help.

Mr Lawal acknowledged that while residents understood the need for collective efforts, they hoped the relevant authorities would also fulfil their responsibility to provide basic infrastructure in the area.

The residents called for urgent, sustainable intervention to restore the road to a safe, motorable condition and improve drainage to ease movement, particularly during the rainy season.

(NAN)