Governor Umaru Al-Makura of Nasarawa State has appealed to the federal government to expand the Abuja to Keffi highway to ease traffic congestion on the road, as he also commiserated with the Baptist community in the state over the death of two students in an inferno that gutted Baptist High school, Marke, Kokona Local Government area, last week.

Al-Makura made the appeal to the federal government on Sunday while inspecting facilities along the road.

He said the hardship faced by commuters from that axis to and from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), was becoming too unbearable.

Al-Makura said that the dual carriage road, which was about 30 meters wide, could be expanded to five lanes and walkways.

He said that that Nasarawa State government would open discussion with the Federal Government with a view to fast-tracking the expansion of the road as soon as possible.

He said that the expansion would ease out the gridlock usually experienced on the road, thereby saving commuters daily loss of man hour as a result of the congestion.

Al-Makura said that the state government had set up a task force, positioned every 100 meters along the road, to check indiscriminate dumping of refuse by residents.

He said the task force had been mandated to prosecute anyone found dumping refuse on the highway, to serve as deterrent to other residents.

Al-Makura therefore appealed to residents to support the task force in ensuring proper environmental sanitation to safeguard their health.

At Baptist High school, Al-Makura, who was at the school to assess the situation, urged parents of the deceased students and the school, to consider the loss as the will of God and pray such incident never happened again.

He also prayed for the quick recovery of those who suffered various degrees of injury as result of the fire incident.

The governor also donated N 1million to assist the school rehabilitate the burnt students' hostel.

Al-Makura lauded the Baptist Community for their support in providing quality education and laying sound foundation for the future leaders of the state and the country.

He promised that his administration would continue to identify and assist institutions that provided quality services for the benefits of the people of the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that a male hostel at Baptist High school, Marke, housing about 50 students, was gutted by fire last Wednesday night, leaving two students dead and three others hospitalised. (NAN)

•Photo shows Gov. Al-Makura