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.
