Worried by the bad roads in the oil-rich city of Warri, headquarters of the Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State, residents, motorists and other road users have called on the state government to take urgent steps to fix the deplorable roads.
Speaking to our correspondent who went to town over the bad roads, respondents complained about the complete failure of the roads, imploring the State Government to act fast on all the failed roads.
A businessman on the city, Mr. Afam Eseagwu said; “It is pretty appalling that our roads are so bad. I canot understand why government should embark on white elephant projects instead of project that will add value to the lives of citizens. The beautification of DSC Express way, the BRT project on Warri/Sapele road, the coating and re-coatimg of Airport Road.”
He added that; “A fraction of the money for these unnecessary projects could tar every internal road in Warri and environs. Go round and see how citizens are living like pig in Okumagbe Layout, Okere, Osubi, Okuokoko, Ebrumede and other places. Why are our leaders so wicked?
On his part, Human Rights activist, Barrister Oghenejabor Ikimi stated that roads in Warri and other parts of the state were in deplorable and distasteful condition, adding that “wading through some of them on a daily basis by commuters is often suffocating as same reminds one of the infamous Hilter’s gas chambers of old.”
He attributed to bad state of the roads to “a fall out of the numerous years of neglect of public roads in the State by successive Governments and it would rather be unfair to lay all the blames at the door steps of the present administration.”
Continuing he said; “Permit me to state without holding brief for the State Government or patronizing it, that the State Government is not resting on her oars. I know as a fact that the Direct Labour Agency was until recently doing a yeoman’s job at ensuring motorable roads in Delta State and even in spite of that Government’s efforts were largely inadequate owing to the quantum of decay,” he added.
He therefore called on the State Governor to declare a State of emergency on the sector, noting that Government with her limited resources and numerous competing needs cannot single handily address the challenge of deplorable roads in the State.
“There is the urgent need to resurface existing roads, some of which were tarred as far back as the early 70s. And there is also the need to construct new roads to open up the hinterlands to boost commercial, business and social activities in the State. The challenge posed by bad road in our dear State and the entire Nation at large has caused avoidable road carnages and deaths. A report published some years back by the Federal Road Safety Corp showed that Nigerian roads are ranked third worse in the world,” the Human Rights Activist noted.
The deplorable state of our roads have no doubt retarded economic activities to the detriment of the people of the State and her economy, hence the need for a Marshall plan on how to develop the State and her public infrastructures particularly her road network, posited Barrister Ikimi.
A bus driver who simple identified himself as Mr. John, said because of the bad road along the Warri Sapele Road, Warri, they no longer make as much profits as they used to make, stressing that most of them have been forced to park their buses at home.
He said; “My brother it has not been easy ooh. Each time I come out to work I always pray to God to give me my daily bread because of the bad nature of our roads. Usually when the road is good we made more money than what we are getting today. Most of the roads have failed and we spend several hours in the traffic. And because of that we go home with nothing because some of us hired the buses we are driving. I want to use this opportunity to appeal to Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan to come to our aid and alleviate our sufferings.”
Our correspondent reports that some of the bad roads include; Okere-Ugborikoko Road by Giwa-Amu Junction, Giwa-Amu Road,, Apala Road, Okumagba Estate Roundabout by Total Filling Station, Bendel Estate, Walter Odeli Street, First andThird Marine Gates, UIDC/Ughoton Street , Aka Avenue, Airport Road by Slot/NNPC Mega Station, Opposite Our Lady’s High School and host of others.
