A senator has called on the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) to urgently intervene in the deteriorating Gashaka-Sardauna road, warning that the worsening condition of the route poses serious risks to commuters and economic activities in the affected communities.
The Senator representing Taraba Central Senatorial District, Haruna Manu, has urged the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) to urgently rehabilitate the failing Gashaka-Sardauna federal road.
The lawmaker warned that parts of the highway are on the verge of collapse due to severe gully erosion.
Manu made the appeal during a working visit to the Managing Director of FERMA, Engr. Chukwuemeka Agbasi.
He was accompanied by Senator Babangida Hussaini.
Manu urged FERMA to prioritise the intervention, saying the road is too strategic to be neglected.
The lawmaker said urgent repairs were needed on the critical road linking Gashaka and Sardauna Local Government Areas through the Serti-Gembu corridor, particularly the Mayo-Selbe–Nguroje and Lekitaba–Gembu sections, where erosion has washed away large portions of the road.
According to him, the highway is a major transportation corridor connecting communities across Taraba State, especially the agrarian Gashaka and Sardauna local government areas.
He noted that thousands of residents, farmers, traders and motorists rely on the road daily to transport agricultural produce, access markets and connect with neighbouring communities, warning that its continued deterioration poses serious economic and safety concerns.
Responding, Agbasi assured the senators that FERMA would conduct an immediate on-the-spot assessment of the affected sections to determine the extent of the damage and initiate the necessary restoration process.
He pledged that the agency would evaluate the failed portions and make the required arrangements to restore the road to a motorable condition.
The Gashaka-Sardauna road has for years suffered extensive deterioration caused by heavy rainfall, flooding and inadequate maintenance, with repeated complaints from residents and road users over its poor condition.
The highway also provides access to Gembu, the headquarters of Sardauna Local Government Area and the Mambilla Plateau, one of Nigeria’s major agricultural and tourism destinations, making its rehabilitation critical to economic activities and regional connectivity.
