Reps call for removal of speed bumps on federal highways

The House of Representatives on Tuesday directed the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing to dismantle all unauthorised speed bumps erected on federal highways across the country.

The lawmakers equally called Ministry to construct pedestrian bridges on dangerous spots to check preventable death caused by car accidents.

The resolution was passed following the adoption of a motion sponsored by Abdulrazak Namdas (APC-Adamawa).

In his lead debate, Namdas who doubles as chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, lamented that all the highways where these bumps were illegally erected contributed to the various accidents with subsequent high mortality rate.

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However, the lawmaker however called for the installation of identified globally acknowledged interventions such as Zebra crossings and pedestrian bridges as better options for preventing death on the country’s highways.

He said: “there is indeed an urgent need to put an end to the erection of speed-bumps on federal highways and the removal of existing ones as they constitute danger to motorists, which often cause them to apply emergency brakes, resulting to accidents and vehicle breakdowns.

“There is also a need to encourage communities suffering from incessant loss of lives from car accidents to approach the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing and the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) for assistance, rather than resorting to indiscriminate construction of speed bumps.”

On his part, Emmanuel Orker-Jev, chairman House Committee on Ethics and Privileges urged Federal Government to sensitise communities that have lost some of its members through car accidents on the highway to desist from building speed bumps.

While ruling, Speaker Yakubu Dogara mandated the joint committee on Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing and Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) to ensure the compliance and report back to the House within four weeks.