Commuters and residents of Jos and Miango communities in Plateau State have expressed excitement and relief as construction work finally commenced on the long-abandoned Jos-Miango road.
The road, which connects the two major towns in Plateau State, has been in a deplorable state for over 15 years, causing untold hardship and frustration to commuters.
With the mobilisation of construction equipment and workers to the site, hopes have been rekindled that the road will soon be transformed into a smooth and safe passage.
A visit by Arewa PUNCH to the road construction site on Friday showed that construction workers were already at the site as work began in earnest.
‘I am so excited to see that work has finally started on this road. For years, we have been suffering on this road, but now we can see that something is being done to fix it’, said Mrs. Sarah Yohanna, who is a regular commuter on the route.
Another commuter, Mr. John Daju echoed Mrs. Yohanna’s sentiments, saying, ‘This road has been a nightmare for us, but with the construction work starting, we are hopeful that it will be completed soon and our suffering will come to an end’.
A resident of Miango community, Mr Lawrence Zongo who also expressed joy over the road rehabilitation effort, observed that ‘Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State had started breathing new lease of life into the several long-abandoned projects of former Governor Jonah Jang.
He pointed out that ‘until the emergence of the Mutfwang administration, several meaningful projects had largely been either abandoned and others ignored by the previous administration of Simon Bako Lalong.
‘However, with a renewed commitment to the community, Mutfwang has pledged to complete the critical road construction and restore electricity to the Miango District, a promise that brings hope after a decade of darkness for this vulnerable community in the Bassa LGA’, he added.
Continuing, Zongo recalled that during a recent retreat at the well-known Missionary Guests House of Miango Rest Home, Mutfwang had highlighted the urgent need for change and progress.
As a result, not a few residents are now looking forward to the restoration of electricity, even as they eagerly anticipate a brighter future for Miango.
Meanwhile, the Plateau State Government had earlier announced plans to rehabilitate the road, which is a major artery connecting Jos, the state capital, to Miango and other surrounding towns.
The construction project is expected to be completed within the next few months, and when finished, it will not only ease the suffering of commuters but also boost economic activities in the region.
Im an interview with Arewa PUNCH, the state Commissioner for Works, Joshua Ubandoma, assured that the government was determined to complete the road project and open up other road arteries within Jos Greater Master Plan.
‘Our plan is to open up the state for development. One of our strategies is to decongest the city of Jos and expand the existing road network that we have and make the bad ones motorable.
‘So, we are committed to this initiative because the people deserve nothing other than service by this administration’, Ubandoma said.
Arewa PUNCH reports further that as the construction work progresses, commuters and residents eagerly look forward to a smoother and safer journey on the Jos-Miango
