Onitsha-Awka-Enugu Expressway now a death trap……….Commuters

Road users and Motorists plying the Awka-Onitsha axis of the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway have bemoaned the inability of the Federal Government to fix the road despite countless promises.

The people voiced out their anger and frustration over the deplorable condition of the road.

With collapsed spots along the Umuokpu, Igbariam and Umunya axis of the road, a journey from Awka to Onitsha using the route which according to the commuters, initially takes about forty minutes, now takes about two hours to complete.

During the visit, pockets of gully were also observed developing at some spots, while one lane along some axis of the dual carriageway cannot be accessed by motorists due to very dangerous portholes.

What looked like palliative work along some axis of the expressway have been completely abandoned as there was no contractor nor functional working equipment on site.

Some Motorists including Mr Anthony Odenigbo, a truck driver who had slept for two days on the road because his vehicle broke down and a commercial bus driver, Mr. James Abusi regretted the huge amount of money they spend on vehicle repairs due to the very bad road, noting that due to its very strategic nature and the heavy traffic it carries on daily basis, the road cannot be allowed to remain the way it is.

They noted that it is rather appalling that the Federal Government is paying lip service to the project given that at various times, many of its top officials have made promises that the road has been awarded and would be completed soon.

A private car driver, Chief Romanus Ezeamaama and some other road users Mr Okechukwu Elobi and Engr Marcus Ogho while describing the road as a death trap, called on the Federal government to immediately come to their aid by reconstructing the road, adding that if left unaddressed, the road will in no distant time collapse entirely.

For some workers at some filling stations along the road who spoke on the condition of anonymity, government should come to their aid as the deplorable condition of the road threatens their jobs.

Speaking on the development, the Commissioner for Works, Chief Marcel Ifejiofor revealed that the road is motorable a bit because the State government had approved palliative work on it twice annually during the rainy season and Christmas period, adding that a state contractor has been mobilised to immediately intervene on the very bad Umuokpu axis and other bad spots.

He noted that Governor Willie Obiano in keeping with his road infrastructural development agenda, has directed him to liaise with the Federal Ministry of Works to fast track the execution of the project and other Federal Government's projects across the state, assuring that his Ministry is committed to delivering on the task.

ABS