House Urges FCT to Cover Manholes in Abuja

Juliet Akoje in Abuja

The House of Representatives has urged the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to immediately cover all open manholes in the territory to prevent further endangerment to persons and properties.

It also urged the Nigeria Police Force to provide surveillance security at all times against theft of manhole covers and has mandated its Committee on the FCT to ensure compliance and report back within six weeks for further legislative action.

These resolutions followed yesterday’s adoption of a motion on the urgent need to Replace Stolen Manhole Covers on FCT’s Roads moved by Hon. Musa Mohammed Pali. 

The lawmaker noted that a manhole is an opening used as an access point for an underground public utility, allowing inspection, maintenance and system upgrades.

He added that a manhole or maintenance hole usually has a removable cover for the opening, which is large enough for a person to pass through.

He also raised a concern that manhole covers in the FCT were being stolen by unpatriotic individuals, leaving the manholes open and posing a grave danger to unsuspecting motorists and pedestrians.

“Many people have sustained permanent injuries as a result of falling into open manholes while many vehicle tyres have been damaged as a result of running over the manholes.

“The activities of scavengers and other unpatriotic individual is responsible for the theft of manhole covers that are not secured or locked,” he said.