Hundreds Of Commuters Stranded As Takum Bridge In Taraba Collapses
Hundreds of Commuters plying Wukari- Takum Federal highway were on Wednesday stranded as the bridge linking the two towns which has overtime been in deplorable state finally collapsed in the early hours of Wednesday.
Takum which is the home country of the former Minister of Defence and Former Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma and Governor of the State, Darius Ishaku has become a source of stress to business men and women plying that road overtime.
An eyewitness, Torsaa Chieve who is a resident of Peva, Chanchanji ward where the bridge is situated while speaking with Vanguard said the bridge collapsed following a heavy rain fall that lasted for several hours.
According to him, residents of the area have overtime cried to government authorities over the deplorable state of the road which has become a death trap.
An Elder in the community, Joseph Kyanden Useh however noted that youths of the area were able to construct a temporary make shift bridge for Commuters to connect Takum.
He said “Today is Peva market and only God knows what would have happened if the bridge collapsed in the day time while people were crossing it to come to the market.
“Peva remains the commercial hub of Taraba especially when it comes to Agricultural business and government must fix the bridge to promote commercial activities here,” he said.
In his reaction, Special Adviser to the Governor of Taraba State on New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), Hon. Dennis Nev who hails from the area called on the federal government to urgently fix the bridge to cushion the sufferings of the people. According to him, “Takum is central to the economy of the State and they road must not be allowed to be in a bad state for long.
It is currently serving both farmers and contractor handling Kashimbila Dam project who are also constructing a power station in Wukari.
“I want to appeal to the federal and state governments to quickly fix the bridge. “
