By ANGELA ATABO

The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has ordered the removal of speed bumps on the country?s highways to improve traffic flow and reduce congestion on major roads.

Umahi made this known at a two-day Retreat for Federal Ministry of Works Highway Engineers and Managerial Staff on Friday in Abuja.

The retreat with the theme ?Ensuring Delivery of Mr President?s Agenda on Road Infrastructural Development,? was organised by the ministry.

The minister said the order to dismantle the speed bumps was necessary because some were haphazardly done causing accidents and elongating travel time.

?I came through one of the federal routes and for a journey that is supposed to last like one hour within that stretch, it lasted like three hours because every 20 metres you will see a bump.

?Although there is nothing wrong with speed bumps in certain designated locations. But there is an approved technical design for bumps.

?There are also allowable locations for bumps and that is what we want to do. So the National Assembly has directed that these speed bumps should be dismantled.?

Umahi said the ministry had noticed some speed bumps were a menace and causing multiple accidents and deaths.

?Some speed bumps are high, touching the bottom plates of vehicles; that is not desirable. It defeats the aim.

?So, this is what we are saying; and that is what the national assembly is saying, the ministry as well as motorists wants them to dismantle it.?

Umahi said subsequently for any speed bump to be constructed, applications would be made to controllers for the locations through the Permanent Secretary and to the minister for approval after meeting technical compliance.

He added that there must also be a safe side distance of not less than 100 metres and warning for motorists to beware.

Speaking on infrastructure development, Umahi said President Bola Tinubu?s massive infrastructure development was aimed at providing the much needed impetus to stimulate the economy and improve the lives of the citizenry.

He therefore, said the retreat was aimed at educating participants to properly understand the president?s renewed hope agenda with specific reference to road infrastructure development among others.

The Minister of State for Works, Mr Bello Goronyo, commended the president?s infrastructure development agenda, saying that it was putting smiles on the faces of Nigerians.

?Let me urge you to use the knowledge that you will acquire today in ensuring that you come up to speed with the modern technologies and innovation so that our country will be better in terms of roads, infrastructure.

?Without the road infrastructure, there cannot be economic growth, and there cannot be prosperity,? he said.

The permanent secretary in the ministry, Olufunso Adebiyi, said the Federal Road Safety Corps? record revealed that accidents were traceable to reckless driving, drunk driving, disregard for road instructions and unauthorised crossing of the road among others.

?It may surprise you that the percentage of accidents caused by bad roads were less than 10 per cent.

?The bad roads are traceable to inefficiency on the part of the engineers, poor supervision of our road works among others.?

Adebiyi urged the engineers to step up and curb some of the irregularities, noting that the ministry was committed to building their capacity to deliver on the administration?s agenda.

The Chairmen, Senate and House Committees on Works reiterated their commitment to supporting the ministry to deliver on its mandate. (NAN)

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