By Ogheneruona Tejiri / Aizighode Psalmist
Amuokpokpor-Elume community in Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State has appealed to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to urgently revisit and complete the collapsed road project linking the agrarian settlement to other parts of the council.
The community, in an interaction with journalists, lamented that the road — completed less than five years ago — had become impassable just one year after it was commissioned, crippling economic activities and endangering lives.
Chairman of Amuokpokpor-Elume, Mr. Daniel Ogbodo, alleged that the contractor who handled the project in 2020 used substandard materials, leading to its early failure.
“The road has become a death trap with heaps of stones, exposed construction iron, and no drainage. We were initially full of joy when the project started, but it failed within a year, leaving us worse off than before,” Ogbodo said.
Elder statesman, Mr. Olu Majelele, and President General of Elume District, Mr. Felix Emuobonuvie, also decried the hardship residents now face.
They noted that metal rods used during construction had resurfaced, causing frequent tyre bursts for vehicles and motorcycles.
They recalled a recent tragic accident in which a prominent son of the community lost his life after his vehicle somersaulted on the bad road.
On behalf of women farmers, Mrs. Mercy Izobo and Mrs. Bridget Emuobonuvie narrated their ordeal in transporting farm produce such as cassava, plantain, palm oil, yam, and fish to markets.
They explained that drivers now charge double transport fares, leading to losses and spoilage of perishable goods.
Other community members, including Mr. John Otuma, Mr. Samuel Izobo, Mr. Comedy Ogbodo, and Mr. Richard Edi, commended the NDDC for initiating the project but urged the Commission to complete it properly.
They further appealed for an extension of the road to the riverbank, with the inclusion of a jetty and drainage system, to prevent flooding and erosion during heavy rains.
“The Amuokpokpor road is our only access route. We humbly call on the NDDC to deploy their site engineers to inspect it and rescue our people from this hardship,” the residents pleaded.
Amuokpokpor-Elume community in Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State has appealed to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to urgently revisit and complete the collapsed road project linking the agrarian settlement to other parts of the council.
The community, in an interaction with journalists, lamented that the road — completed less than five years ago — had become impassable just one year after it was commissioned, crippling economic activities and endangering lives.
Chairman of Amuokpokpor-Elume, Mr. Daniel Ogbodo, alleged that the contractor who handled the project in 2020 used substandard materials, leading to its early failure.
“The road has become a death trap with heaps of stones, exposed construction iron, and no drainage. We were initially full of joy when the project started, but it failed within a year, leaving us worse off than before,” Ogbodo said.
Elder statesman, Mr. Olu Majelele, and President General of Elume District, Mr. Felix Emuobonuvie, also decried the hardship residents now face.
They noted that metal rods used during construction had resurfaced, causing frequent tyre bursts for vehicles and motorcycles.
They recalled a recent tragic accident in which a prominent son of the community lost his life after his vehicle somersaulted on the bad road.
On behalf of women farmers, Mrs. Mercy Izobo and Mrs. Bridget Emuobonuvie narrated their ordeal in transporting farm produce such as cassava, plantain, palm oil, yam, and fish to markets.
They explained that drivers now charge double transport fares, leading to losses and spoilage of perishable goods.
Other community members, including Mr. John Otuma, Mr. Samuel Izobo, Mr. Comedy Ogbodo, and Mr. Richard Edi, commended the NDDC for initiating the project but urged the Commission to complete it properly.
They further appealed for an extension of the road to the riverbank, with the inclusion of a jetty and drainage system, to prevent flooding and erosion during heavy rains.
“The Amuokpokpor road is our only access route. We humbly call on the NDDC to deploy their site engineers to inspect it and rescue our people from this hardship,” the residents pleaded.
