The Gombe-Bauchi highway has been cut off again following Sunday morning heavy downpour, leaving travellers on the busy road stranded.
It is gathered that some travellers had to cancel their trips and turn back while others rerouted through Dukku in Bauchi State, another dilapidated road, which is a longer route to Bauchi.
Our correspondent reports that the bridge along Gombe-Bauchi Road at Bara village has been collapsing repeatedly every rainy season, disrupting movements to and from the two neighbouring states.
Travellers have lamented that although the bridge caved in three times last year, the governments of Bauchi and Gombe States have failed to repair it to make it stronger and passable because it’s a federal highway.
They said the collapsed bridge was only being partly mended with pieces of rocks, which they pointed out, provided temporary succour.
However, the governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, had recently stated that the federal government intended to rebuild the dilapidated road in the next six months.
This was contained in a press statement released Sunday by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Alex Otti, Mr Kazie Uko.
Although no reasons were given for the ban, the statement said the ban would become effective from Monday, August 14.
He said he got a commitment from the federal government on the project, asserting that it was part of the projects the administration of President Bola Tinubu would execute in the six geopolitical zones of the country.
