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By Tony John (Port Harcourt), Femi Folaranmi (Yenagoa), Isaac Job (Uyo), Ighomuaye Lucky (Benin)
In continuation of our series on the state of federal roads across the country, we present reports from our correspondents in the South-south region which also has a good number of roads that are in bad shape.
Delta
Federal roads in Delta State cut across Effurun-Agbarho-Ughelli-Ughwerun-Patani-Bayelsa East West; Benin-Agbor-Asaba-Onitsha; Warri-Effurun-Sapele-Oghara-Benin; Sapele-Amukpe-Eku-Abraka-Obiaruku-Agbor; and the DSC-Aladja-Ovwian-Mofor-Effurun-NPA roads.
The South-south region of the country is not a good place to travel by road, especially during the rainy season. But while many have cast aspersions on the federal government for the monumental neglect of federal roads in the region, there appears to be no hope in sight for the people of the area and those who pass through the region into other parts of the country.
The East-West Road, which runs across the entire rejoin from Edo through Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and terminates at Cross River, is a nightmare. Most parts of the road were impassable, and have been so for many years under successive governments. On this road, lives have been lost and goods worth billions of naira have been lost.
The petrol tanker fire incident that took place at the Koko Junction in Sapele, Delta State on October 1, 2023, is still fresh in the memory of everyone that witnessed the horror. Five persons were confirmed dead at the scene of the accident while no fewer than 17 vehicles got burnt. There have been several other cases of petrol tanker fire along the road as a result of the failed portions of the stretch.
Similarly accidents happen along the Asaba-Onitsha Expressway where trucks, trailers, and other heavy duty vehicles fall on a daily basis. This has often resulted in gridlock and loss of man-hours along the road. In many instances, kidnappers and other criminal elements have picked their victims effortlessly from these failed portions of the roads.
Akwa Ibom
In Cross River State, it is a tale of woes for travelers on the Calabar-Itu federal highway. The contract for the reconstruction of the road was awarded to Julius Berger by the Mohammadu Buhari administration. However, Saturday Sun gathered that the contract has since been abandoned after the construction of one lane along the Ikot Ukap axis, which leads to Ikot Ekpene.
Also in deplorable condition are from Ekim Itam junction to Itu head-bridge and Ikot Offiong communities in Akwa Ibom State to Okut Ikang and Odukpani junctions in Cross River State.
The situation is so bad that a commercial bus driver simply identified as Edet plying Akwa Ibom to Cross River told Saturday Sun that the journey from Uyo to Calabar which used to be less than one hour travel now takes between three and four hours because of the collapsed road .
Edet said: “Any day a Dangote Cement truck traveling from Akpabuyo in Cross River to Akwa Ibom for cement supplies falls on this road, especially on weekends, we always sleep on the road till the following day. I remember the day we slept there till robbers came and dispossessed all the passengers of their belongings.”
Another driver who transports traders from Uyo to Ogoja to buy foodstuffs described the condition of the road as terrible. He said the high cost of garri, yam and other food items can be attributed to the bad road.
“Hardship in this part of Nigeria is caused by the poor state of this road. We don’t know when the federal government will fix it”
Investigations reveal that the pace of work at Calabar-Itu road project has been very sluggish such that every election year, politicians use it to canvas for votes in Akwa Ibom and Cross River.
A youth leader from Oron who preferred anonymity said the road has been used to deceive the people for votes during elections.
“In 2019, they came and deceived us; in 2023 it was the same thing and I believe they will come again, using the same road to campaign.”
Our Correspondent gathered that many commuters abandoned the road and resorted to make their journey by sea from Oron to Calabar not minding attacks by sea pirates.
Other federal roads begging for attention in Akwa Ibom include Akwa Ibom axis of the East-West Road from Eket to Oron; Abak-Ekparakwa-Mkpat Enin and Eye junction; Ekpene Ukpa-Ekparakwa-Ukanafun-Iwukem-Azumini junction in Abia State among others.
From Eket to Oron, the condition of the road is so deplorable that the stakeholders of Oron socio cultural organisation under the aegis of Oro Union urged the federal government to urgently complete the road before the situation gets out of hand.
President of Oro Union, Owong Esang Nsa Bassey, said the federal government should ensure that the bridge from Oron to Calabar which was a component of East-West road contract should be constructed to save the people of Akwa Ibom and other commuters from the stress of going through the upland to Calabar.
“Since the federal government cannot dualize the Calabar East-West Road, they should construct the bridge from here to Calabar to save us from accidents and other mishaps,” he said.
Other News
Rivers
The appalling condition of the East-West Road, particularly the Okogbe-Mbiama stretch in Ahoada West Local Government Area and Eleme-Onne section in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State, is a major source of concern for residents and commuters.
The Port Harcourt-Owerri Road and Port Harcourt-Aba Road are in better condition than the two stretches of the East-West Road earlier mentioned.
Rock Results Nigeria Limited is handling the rehabilitation of the East-West Road, Ahoada West section; while Reynolds Construction Company (Nigeria) Limited (RCC) is handling the rehabilitation of the Eleme-Onne section.
Although the two stretches of the road are currently undergoing rehabilitation, some motorists that Saturday Sun spoke to expressed frustration over the deplorable condition of the road, urgently appealing to the authorities to take swift action and alleviate their suffering.
A commercial motorist, Ogbomudia Goodluck, lamented that he has been plying the Ahoada West axis of the road for seven years. He said the deplorable condition was worsened by the 2022 flood that ravaged the area. He also attributed the deterioration to heavy traffic, including numerous heavy-duty trucks that ply the road.
He criticized the authorities (federal government) for ignoring the plight of ordinary citizens, who continue to suffer due to the road’s failed state.
Goodluck said: “The failed section of the East-West Road has become a deadly trap, with daily fatalities occurring either from containers falling on vehicles or vehicles crashing into the river.”
Also, a local resident in Eleme, Chizhim Okpara, noted: “Successive administrations have neglected the East-West Road, disregarding its significance and the suffering of the people, including not only company employees, but also business owners.
“Despite the daily loss of life, some individuals prioritize their personal interests over the greater good of all. Although RCC has been awarded the contract and is expected to commence work on the road, progress has been slow, and as of now, nothing tangible has been achieved.”
A company driver working at the Onne Oil and Gas Free Zone, who craved anonymity, observed: “The deplorable condition of the East-West Road has had a devastating impact on both the security and economic well-being of residents in the area and commercial drivers who use the road daily.
“The risks associated with travelling on this road are escalating by the day, posing a significant threat to the lives of those who rely on it.”
Meanwhile, a worker with the National Union Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Rumuokoro, simply identified as Mike, said the deplorable state of the East-West Road gives concerns to the union.
He said: “The Ahoada West part of the East-West Road and that of Eleme are giving our union serious concern. Each time our drivers returned from a trip, they complained of one problem or the other on the road. Either their vehicles broke down or these bad boys disturbed on the way. All these problems are affecting transportation.”
Bayelsa
A viral video of a kidnap attack between Patani in Delta State and Adagbabiri in Sagbama Local Government Area of Bayelsa State paints the picture of terror in that section of East-West Road. It took the intervention of men of the Nigerian Army to foil the kidnap attempt.
It is not just the Patani/Adagbabiri, Ogor/ Evwreni axis that motorists traveling from Bayelsa complained about, the Ndele/Rumuji/Emohua axis are also black spots that give motorists plying the roads goose pimples.
“It is dangerous to travel when it is evening along Patani/Adagbabiri and Ogor/ Evwreni roads. We have complained severally but the security agencies have done very little about it. Armed men take over that road anytime from 6:30 pm. Some people have been lucky to escape to tell the story but others have not been lucky.
“Most transport companies strive to pass that road before it gets dark. Intriguingly, Policemen are not stationed on that road,’’ says Mr. Kenston a native of Aven who travels from Yenagoa to Ughelli daily.
Another indigene, Godwin Efere corroborated his claims accusing suspected Fulani herdsmen of turning the road into a death trap.
He said: “When it is 5.30 pm and I am yet to leave Yenagoa, I will stay back and sleep because it is risky to drive along that road. Though there are policemen before you get to Adagbabiri. Between there and the Patani Bridge there is no checkpoint. Also, after the checkpoint at Patani, the next checkpoint is far. This makes that section of the road vulnerable to criminal elements who often fire gun shots at vehicles, kidnapping and killing.”
At the other end of the East-West Road, criminal elements also make motorists and travelers travel with their hearts in their mouths, especially at the Ndele/Rumuji axis. Though, unlike the Adagbabiri/Patani section where police checkpoints are hardly seen, there are enough checkpoints from Mbiama to Ndele, the unmanned section between Ndele and Rumuji is a dangerous zone. The stretch after Kaiama Bridge to Opokuma to Isampou to Mbiama junction then the Ahoada section remains uncompleted several years after its award and loads of promises to complete the road. As the rainy season begins, traveling on the road is a tedious journey.
Eldred Basuo, a postgraduate student at the University of Port Harcourt said travelling to Port Harcourt is now boring considering the bad state of the Ahoada section of the road.
Aside from the East-West Road, which connects Bayelsa to other parts of Nigeria, there are very few federal roads that are under construction. Governor Douye Diri had cause to complain that Bayelsa State has the least number of kilometers of roads in the Niger Delta region. The Yenagoa-Kolo-Otuoke Road awarded at the twilight of the Goodluck Jonathan administration is still under construction. The Ogbia/Nembe Road, which was inaugurated recently, has provided relief for the people but there is still a lot to be done to maintain the road.
Edo
Federal roads in Edo State are in a very sorry state and have become a nightmare to motorists and other road users plying them.
One of the federal roads that are in bad condition is the popular Benin-Auchi-Abuja Expressway. As a result of its deplorable state, travelers spend several hours and sometimes days on the road before they arrive at their destinations. The conditions of the road also aid kidnapping for ransom.
Patrick Ebojele, a lecturer at Auchi Polytechnic, said: “There is really nothing to talk about the Benin-Auchi-Abuja Expressway. Are we starting from Iruekpen to Opoji Junction or from Ewu to Agbede and Ekpoma? In fact, it is in a very bad state right now.
“The traffic usually builds up from Poly gate to Eguono Bridge and to Agbede. You will be lucky if any of these trailers don’t break down on the road otherwise you will be on that road for hours. “The alternate route, Uwarake-Sabo Road is also not in a good shape but the fact is that the road needs urgent attention and they should stop playing politics with that road.
“Where are the engineers on site? The only build up I will tell you is at the Ekpoma University gate where you have a pile loads of stone base, only God knows what they are doing with those stones.” Another road user, Mr. Mikiste Thomas said that the road has been abandoned for years.
“The Benin-Auchi Road needs attention. By the time you travel out of Benin, around the Owuo area; that is where the road will be a little bit okay for you to drive. But between there and Ehor, is not good.
“After Ehor to Ekpoma, is another very bad area and when you drive from Ekpoma down close to Ewu, it is very bad. I remember that the contract for the construction of the road was awarded during President Goodluck Jonathan’s time but throughout the Buhari’s era, the man did nothing in the place. Now, I hear that the contractors are mobilized to site yet nothing has happened,” Thomas said.
