The Senator representing Taraba Central Senatorial District, Haruna Manu and other prominent indigenes from the state have called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently come to the rescue people of the state with the construction of the collapsed bridge at Namnai, along Jalingo- Wukari Federal High Way.

The bridge which collapsed in August last year, linked southern part of the country with the North East region as well as the Federal Capital Territory and other border states of Benue, Plateau and Nasarawa, serving as vital gate way for economic and social activities.

With the collapse of the bridge, motorists were left stranded for weeks before some individuals mobilised canoes and ferries to the river to provide a temporary succour to cross the vehicles.

The bridge which was completely washed away after a heavy rainfall has exacerbated economic strain on the local community and other road users.

Similarly business activities were crippled and caused a set back to the area because vehicles conveying goods and services have to divert to Garba-Chede-Mutum and Jalingo road which is about 120 kilometres before reaching their destination on both sides.

Our correspondent reports that since the collapse of the bridge five months ago, there has not been any form of intervention either from the state government or the Federal government.

Motorists were left to their fate to carry their cross.

As the possibility of reconstruction of the bridge still hangs in the balance, the people of the state wonder why the case of Taraba is different from other states in the North East whose bridges collapsed the same time with that of Taraba.

They sited two bridges in the North East zone that collapsed almost at the same time with the Namnai bridge in Taraba but wondered how the two bridges located along Yola-Gombe and Gombe-Bauchi roads were all attended to and reconstructed by the Federal government.

Senator Haruna Manu wondered why the bridge along Yola-Gombe road near Savannah sugar company is being reconstructed while the one along Gombe-Bauchi road was reconstructed ,but nothing was done on the Namnai bridge in Taraba.

On efforts by Taraba lawmakers in the National Assembly towards the reconstruction of the bridge, Senator Manu disclosed that there are on going efforts aimed at ensuring that work on the Namnai bridge commences before the rainy season.

Manu said that apart from raising the matter on the floor of the Senate under matters of urgent importance, he has personality visited Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) to discuss the need for the speedy reconstruction of the bridge.

“As you know this bridge links the eastern part of the country to all the states in the north East, if the bridge is not reconstructed before the next rainy season it will ground economic activities in all the states in the North East.

The Senator further disclosed that stakeholders from the state are concerned about the bridge and called on President Bola Tinubu to listen to the cries of the people of Taraba by giving approval for the immediate construction of the bridge just like the Larmurde bridge in Adamawa state.

Also, Hon. Ja’faru Yakubu Chiroma, member representing Bali/Gassol Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives said he has equally raised the issue of the collapsed bridge at Namnai on the floor of the House of Representatives under matters of urgent importance and begged the federal government to urgently reconstruct the bridge.

The lawmaker disclosed that immediately after the bridge collapsed in the middle of rainy season on 23rd August last year, he mobilised two ferries to the site of the bridge to assist motorists cross the river without costs.

“Apart from all these efforts, I also visited the North East Development Commission and requested their intervention, they came to the site and took the assessment of the damage and with the promise to come to our rescue,” he said.

Chiroma stressed the need for urgent action towards the reconstruction of the bridge which he said was strategic to the people of North East and the entire northern Nigeria.

Meanwhile, prominent Taraba indigines hold that the two members in the National Assembly from the area would have to intensify lobby, including meeting President Ahmed Tinubu urgently before the commencement of the rainy season otherwise Taraba State would be cut-off from other parts of the country.