From Abdulrazaq Mungadi, Gombe
The Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) has launched a special intervention initiative tagged Operation Safeguard the Road (OSGR), aimed at improving visibility, enhancing commuter safety, and strengthening security along federal highways in Gombe State.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony, FERMA’s Federal Roads Maintenance Engineer for Gombe, Engr. Monye Collins, described the initiative as a “landmark and life-saving intervention,” commending the Managing Director of FERMA, Engr. Chukwuemeka Agbasi, for what he called visionary leadership.
He said, “This initiative by our Managing Director is not only timely but visionary. It is about saving lives, empowering youths, and ensuring our highways are safe and secure. Engineer Agbasi has once again demonstrated proactive leadership and unwavering commitment to public safety”.
According to him, the pilot phase of the initiative will span an 80-kilometre stretch of the Gombe/Numan highway, a critical corridor for commerce and security in the North-East.
He explained that under the month-long exercise, 50 ad-hoc workers from communities along the route have been engaged as part of the Federal Government’s youth empowerment and job creation scheme.
According to the agency, activities under the OSGR include bush clearing, drainage desilting, pothole patching, vegetation control, and shoulder maintenance and that the tasks are targeted at improving visibility, accessibility, and overall road safety for motorists.
Collins stressed that the workers must demonstrate discipline and commitment, as their role directly complements the efforts of security agencies in ensuring safer travel across the corridor.
He assured that the operation signalled “the beginning of a safer and more secure highway network across the country. With this program, we are not just maintaining roads. We are protecting lives, promoting trade, and giving our youths a sense of purpose,” he added.
Meanwhile, reacting to the development, Muhammad Kabiru, a driver along Gombe/Yola road commended the agency for the intervention. He said, “this work by FERMA is highly commendable. Before, the grass had covered the road shoulders, but now visibility is much clearer”. He urged the agency to also repair damaged sections of the highway.
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