The Federal Government has been called upon to declare state of emergency on the roads in Edo Central senatorial district to avoid among others, the outbreak of epidemic in the state.
The declaration was made by a senator representing the people of Esanland in Edo Central, Monday Okpebholo, who, yesterday, disclosed animals and perishable goods being conveyed in vehicles sometimes die or get spoilt in transit and thrown into the communities by commuters thereby causing health hazards to his people.
The senator made particular references to the Okene-Auchi-Ekpoma-Benin highway and Ewu-Uromi-Agbor expressway where vehicles get stuck for days due to the deplorable condition of roads.
He said the hardships experienced on the roads were severe and tough on the people and on the economy of the area, adding that Edo Central was gateway to South East, South South, South West and the northern part of the country.
“The deplorable condition of these highways has forced motorists to revert to the internal roads of the communities in Ewu, Irrua, Uromi, Ubiaja, Igueben, Ogwa, Ekpoma and others. The pressure from the heavy traffic have destroyed all the existing internal roads.
“Business activities in the senatorial district are also highly impacted upon very negatively because of these bad roads. A journey that ordinarily takes one hour now takes several days.
“My people are in pains and want the Federal Government to intervene and come to their rescue.”
While calling on the Federal Government to declare state of emergency on the roads and give his people succour, he said: “I am convinced only President Bola Ahmed Tinubu can help us out of this situation by fixing the roads to make life bearable again for the entire people of Esanland in Edo Central senatorial district.”
The Okene-Auchi-Ekpoma-Benin highway and Ewu-Uromi-Agbor highway were first awarded in 2015 but were abandoned by subsequent governments.
Both roads, the lawmaker disclosed, passed through his senatorial district.