State Of Enugu/Onitsha Highway Worries Motorists

Motorists plying the Enugu-Onitsha expressway are lamenting the poor state of the road, describing trips on the road as “nightmare’’.
They spoke in an interview with newsmen.
The motorists said they usually spent up to three hours on the road for trips that should not take more than 45 minutes.
According to them, trips on the road have been made worse by persistent attacks by hoodlums, who take advantage of gridlocks on the road to attack travelers.
They pleaded with the Federal Government to come to their rescue by providing palliatives to make the road passable.
One of the travelers, Mr Ifeanyi Ugah, decried the worsening state of the road, pleading with government to give attention to highways in the South East.
“I don’t find it funny when traveling to Enugu from Onitsha because of craters on the road.
“A journey that should be under one hour takes close to three hours which is a loss of valuable hour.
“I urge the government to repair the road in the interest of the masses,” Ugah said.
A commercial bus driver, Mr Jude Nwankwo, said that thieves usually took advantage of the bad spots to attack motorists.
“After Eke Ezeagu area, there is this particular bad spot that hoodlums take advantage of to attack unsuspecting travelers.
“My vehicle ran into them and the robbers carted away our valuables, including cash and ran into a nearby bush.
“My colleague told me how he and his passengers were also beaten when they refused to say the exact amount in their possession.”
Also a bus conductor, Jidefor Nweke, said “the condition of the road is getting worse and it is on the verge of splitting at the Oji River section.
“Erosion is ravaging the road. The newly rehabilitated section has started deteriorating again because of heavy traffic,’’ Nweke said