Motorists groan on Okpela- Okene highway

From Emmanuel Adeyemi Lokoja
Motorists plying the Okpela-Okene highway are appealing to the minister of works a d housing, Raji Fashola to quickly come to their aid as the road has been reduced to a death trap.
Investigations carried out by our correspondent revealed that  the rate of accidents   along the road  in recent time has highly increased due to many portions of the road that are laden with   deep pot holes  .
It was  gathered that erosion has also eaten up  substantial part of the about 45 kilometres  road which leaads to Benin Edo State capital and the Eastern part of the nation
According to our findings,  a journey from Okene to okpela  which should ordinarily not last for  about 50 minutesr is taking motorists up to 2- 3 hours drive , a situation which give leverage to armed robbers and kidnappers to operate at will on the highway.
Speaking with our correspondent, a driver with  Peace mass transit who simply identified himself as Emeka said  it takes courage for any driver to pass through that road  unhurt especially during the night time

He said most of their vehicles got damaged   along that deadly road  especially during raining season as motorists sometimes have to move at snail speed  wasting precious hours  on the road.

Emeka however appealed to  the Federal Road Maintenance Agency  to immediately mobilise it’s men to fix the  bad portion of the road before the raining season commences.

Also speaking with our correspondent an official of the National union of Road transport worker, Okene branch, Alimi Isiaka calles on the minister of works to as a matter of urgency come to  the aid of those plying through the road by giving it a total rehabilitation.
He said the deplorable condition of the road  has also affected negatively ommunities  living along the highway as   they find it difficult to move their farm produce to the urban areas due to several trucks that have broken down on the road.