The Federal Ministry of Works and Housing on Friday announced the closure of Obajana junction on Lokoja-Obajana-Kabba road for repair.

The ministry said that the closure would last for seven days to facilitate the reconstruction of the road and culverts washed away by floods sometime in 2021.

The Federal Controller of Works in Kogi, Jimoh Kajogbola, Kogi, announced this to reporters in Lokoja on Friday.

“Obajana-Kabba road will also be closed from Friday to Aug. 15 when it will be reopened,” he said.

Mr Kajogbola described as “embarrassing and unfortunate” the unending gridlocks and accidents being witnessed at the Obajana junction and the entire Lokoja-Obajana-Kabba road.

“Inview of this closure, traffic from the Kabba junction-Obajana-Kabba road is now being diverted to Kabba junction-Okene-Kabba to give room for easy construction work.

“Therefore, motorists from North-Central and south-western parts of the country plying the Obajana-Kabba highway in Kogi should use the alternative Lokoja-Okene-Kabba road

“The Lokoja-Okene-Kabba road is also free and should be the route to take since Lokoja (Obajana junction) to Okene is under dualisation, though almost completed.

“Again, the Okene township road has been repaired just like Okene-Kabba road that can be used as well.

“So, Nigerians should bear it with us. It is for our collective good. We cannot leave this section of this road like this for people to be dying. We need to repair it.

“We are pleading with road users to use Obajana junction-Okene-Kabba road instead of using Obajana-Kabba road directly; adequate directional road signs have been provided to guide the motorists,” he said.

The Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Kogi, Steven Dawulung, pledged the readiness of his officers and men to assist at ensuring flow of traffic and orderliness at the diversion points, commending the federal government for responding to calls for repairs of the junction.

(NAN)