Some motorists and other road users in Nigeria have bemoaned the deplorable conditions of Benin Ekpoma/Auchi road, Edo State.
They said the road and others that link it have become very poor and have been aiding accidents in the route.
According to them, lives would be saved if the state government could fix the road before the rainy season.
“We are entering the rainy season gradually and as a commercial driver, I am afraid of passing this Benin Ekpoma/Auchi road. You can see for yourself how bad the road is.
“Many accidents happen here and they were caused by the bad portions of the road. Last month, one of my colleagues was robbed on this highway and that was because the robbers capitalized on this bad road.
“So, I am calling on the Edo State government to help in fixing this road. It will help a lot in ensuring lesser accident rates and safety of road users,” a bus driver identified as Gabriel told The Point.
Some of the travellers on the road also called on the state government to fix the roads, saying the roads are becoming gradually impassable.
Expressing same concern, a civic technology platform that provides citizens with information to track the progress of public projects, access public data, and engage in civic advocacy, MonITNg called on Governor Godwin Obaseki to urgently fix the roads.
The group said that the road which connected about 500 communities in eight states in the country is now a death trap and no longer motorable.
It also urged the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi to collaborate with the state government in construction of the roads.
“Benin Ekpoma/Auchi road, Edo State is in terrible condition. It is the only access road connecting over eight states and 500 communities. It is no longer accessible. We urge you to do the needful.
“The road now is a death trap for road users and has affected the economic activities of the state. We are calling on Governor Obaseki to kindly do the needful,” it said.
Bad road networks in Edo State have become a normal lifestyle for the people.
Corporate workers have made rubber slippers part of their office outfits as this makes waddling through rainfall puddles easier.
Checks by The Point showed that the situation is worse in Benin City with potholes.
“It also doesn’t help that one of Edo’s most plied roads, the Benin Bypass, has become a death trap.
“The feeling from surviving a fall from maybe 200 flights of stairs is akin to what you get every time you travel by road through Edo State,” a traveller, James Eruwa said.
