Deplorable condition of Erukaye Street, New Layout, Ekpan
Warri/Nigeria: Worried about the deteriorating condition of abandoned roads in Onwugbonu Crescent, Erukaye, Sam-Okaka and Agofure-Ejumudo streets, New Layout, Ekpan, Uvwie local government area of Delta State, the residents are passionately calling on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), and Delta State government to fix the roads without further delay.
The call was made following the recurring and worsening deteriorating condition of the streets which damages vehicles and exposes residents in the area to untold hardship, in recent times.
Decrying the dilapidated condition of the roads, the residents expressed dismay over nonchalant posturing of the NDDC management towards their plight, saying that they had been burdened with the bad state of the roads more than a decade.
According to the Chairman of Sam-Okaka Street, Captain Mike Timiyan, the streets have been in a deplorable condition over ten years, noting that NDDC had been nonchalant towards them to fix the roads in the past years.
Continuing, Timiyan noted that the residents of the three streets had their hope dashed when the contract for construction of the roads was awarded to a contractor by NDDC, more than a decade ago, but noted that when the gutters had been constructed, the contractor packed his equipment and left, abandoning the roads.
Flooded portion of Onwugbonu Street, New Layout, Ekpan
In the same vein, the Chairman of Onwugbonu Crescent, Pastor Clement Onwugbonu, expressed concern about the bad state of the roads, wondering why the construction of Onwugbonu Crescent, Erukaye, Sam-Okaka and Agofure-Ejumudo streets were abandoned while other streets in the neighbourhood were fully paved.
“This road (referring to Onwugbonu Crescent) was under construction about a decade ago, the gutters were done, but after that the contractor disappeared, neither did we see NDDC again. This road (pointing at the flooded portions of the road) is in bad state. We are calling on NDDC, and Delta state governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa to come to our aid quickly,” he stated.
In similar reactions, the Chairman of Erukaye and Agofure-Ejumudo streets, Mr. Victor Ejumudo and Comr. Charles Uvietoborie, described the development as unfortunate, saying, “the fact that only our streets are left in their deplorable condition while other streets around the vicinity have been fixed by NDDC, remains a puzzle to us. We feel humiliated by the lopsided and unjustifiable action of NDDC.”
Continuing, the duo said, “during raining season, we drive our cars in pools of water, our children are seriously endangered by the flooded gullies in the roads. Even the psychological trauma the bad shape of the roads unleashes on our families can better be imagined.” They appealed to NDDC to fix the road to address the infrastructure deficit of the streets.
For Mr. Julius Adoghe, and Mr. Wilson Omokheowa, pioneer landlords of Onwugbonu Crescent, urgent attention is need from NDDC to fix the road, even as they expressed disgust at the “I don’t care attitude” on the part of those in charge of the affairs of NDDC towards the complaints about the bad state of the road.
Asked if they knew why the contractor abandoned the roads, the residents said they had been left in the dark, saying that all efforts to get the attention of NDDC to their complaints.were to no avail, even as several appeals to them (NDDC) to fix the roads had been twarthed by empty promise by those in charge of the affairs of the commission.
A trader, who spoke on condition of anonymity said “for the past ten years, the condition of the roads has not improved in this part of New layout. During rainy season, we suffer too much; it has always been a horrible experience for us living here and all efforts to get Delta state government, and NDDC to fix the roads have been abortive.”
The reaction of Mrs. Mabel Onwugbonu, proprietor of Bright Field International Group of Schools, was no less pathetic, as she lamented the deplorable condition of the Onwugbonu Crescent. She said the bad state of the road slows the growth of business in the area, even as she called on NDDC and Delta state government to fix the roads to justify the residents’ contributions to the development of the economy of the state as tax payers.
