Beyond The Flyover: Why Greater Karu’s Internal Roads Need Urgent Attention -By Adewole Kehinde

As a resident of the Lape axis in Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, I feel compelled to draw the attention of the Nasarawa State Government to the deplorable condition of the internal roads linking Adeyi–Lape Estate, Ruga Madaki, the MTN Mast area, Jikwoyi Phase 4 and the Jikwoyi–Nyanya Road within the Greater Karu area.

First, I must sincerely commend the administration of His Excellency, Governor Abdullahi A. Sule, for the ongoing road construction and flyover project around the Karu axis. The project is a bold and commendable intervention aimed at improving connectivity and addressing the persistent traffic congestion along the Keffi–Abuja Highway. Residents and commuters alike appreciate the vision behind this important infrastructure development and the commitment of the government to enhancing transportation within the state.

However, while considerable attention is being devoted to the major road and flyover construction, the internal roads that thousands of residents depend upon daily have been left to deteriorate significantly, creating what can best be described as a serious mobility crisis within our communities.

The situation has become particularly difficult because the ongoing construction has altered normal traffic patterns. Many motorists, commercial operators and residents are now forced to rely heavily on alternative internal roads to access their destinations. Unfortunately, these roads are in an extremely poor state and are simply not designed to accommodate the volume of traffic they are currently carrying.

The extent of the problem is alarming. A journey that should ordinarily take about two minutes on a motorcycle through some of these internal routes can now take one or even two hours because of the poor road conditions, severe congestion and the difficulty of navigating the damaged sections. This challenge is no longer limited to peak traffic periods. Even at night, when traffic along the major highway would ordinarily reduce considerably, residents continue to experience significant delays moving through these internal roads.

Your Excellency, our concern is therefore not only about the flyover itself. There is an urgent need to look beyond the flyover and develop the internal road network that feeds into it.

The reality is that internal roads serve as the arteries connecting residential communities to the major highways. If these arteries remain severely constrained, traffic will continue to accumulate at critical access points, and the anticipated reduction in congestion along the Keffi–Abuja Highway may not be fully realised. In essence, no matter how impressive the flyover may be, its effectiveness will be limited if the roads linking residents to that infrastructure remain impassable or heavily congested.

Greater Karu has experienced tremendous growth over the years and has effectively become an extension of the wider Abuja metropolitan area. The population has expanded rapidly, economic activities have increased significantly, and traffic volumes have grown beyond what the existing infrastructure was originally designed to accommodate. Unfortunately, the development of internal road infrastructure has not kept pace with this growth.

For this reason, I respectfully appeal to Governor Abdullahi A. Sule to direct the relevant government agencies to urgently assess and rehabilitate the Adeyi–Lape Estate–Ruga Madaki–MTN Mast Area–Jikwoyi Phase 4–Jikwoyi–Nyanya Road corridor, given its strategic importance as an alternative route serving thousands of residents daily.

There is also an urgent need to address the drainage and flooding challenges that contribute significantly to the deterioration of these roads. Without proper drainage infrastructure, any rehabilitation effort may only provide temporary relief before the roads once again succumb to erosion and flooding.

Furthermore, the state government should consider developing a coordinated Greater Karu Internal Road Network Plan that reflects the area’s rapid population growth, increasing traffic demands and strategic proximity to the Federal Capital Territory. Such a plan would ensure that infrastructure development is proactive rather than reactive and would provide a sustainable framework for future expansion.

Equally important is the need to ensure that the internal road network is treated as an integral component of the broader solution to the congestion currently experienced along the Keffi–Abuja corridor. The solution to traffic challenges in Greater Karu cannot stop at the flyover. It must extend into the communities and encompass the roads that bring people to and from the major highway every day.

A major flyover is undoubtedly a significant intervention, but its full benefits can only be realised when supported by an efficient and functional network of feeder roads. If residents continue to struggle for hours to access the main road, the broader objective of improving mobility and reducing travel time will remain only partially achieved.

I therefore humbly appeal to Governor A. A. Sule to give this matter urgent consideration and direct the relevant authorities to inspect the affected roads and commence appropriate intervention without delay.

Such action will significantly improve mobility, reduce the hardship currently being experienced by residents, stimulate economic activities within the communities and ensure that the ongoing major road infrastructure projects deliver the full benefits intended for the people of Greater Karu.

As residents, we deeply appreciate the efforts of Governor Sule’s administration in improving infrastructure across Nasarawa State. We acknowledge the progress already made and remain hopeful that this critical issue affecting thousands of residents will receive the urgent attention it deserves.

The people of Greater Karu are not asking for anything extraordinary. We are simply asking that the roads connecting our homes, businesses and communities to the major highway be given the same level of consideration as the flagship projects that dominate public attention. Only then can the vision of a truly connected, accessible and economically vibrant Greater Karu become a reality.

Adewole Kehinde writes from Lape, Karu Local Government of Nasarawa State. 08166240846 Email: kennyadewole@gmail.com