SAPELE/Nigeria: The people of Amuokpokpor-Elume in Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State have called on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to urgently resume work on the collapsed road linking their agrarian community to other parts of the council, lamenting that the failed project has worsened their plight.
Speaking with journalists, community members described the road, completed barely a year ago, as a death trap that has claimed lives, crippled economic activities, and left residents stranded.
Community chairman, Daniel Ogbodo, who recounted that the project commenced in 2020, accused the contractor of using substandard materials, which caused the road to collapse shortly after completion. “At the project’s inception, the community was filled with jubilation, knowing the struggles residents had faced with poor road conditions for years. However, the concrete-paved road did not last a year before deteriorating, leaving us worse off than before the intervention,” Ogbodo said.
According to him, heaps of stones, exposed irons, and the absence of drainage now make the road impassable and dangerous. He stressed that the situation has turned the only access road into a hazard for motorists, motorcyclists, and farmers trying to move their goods.
Community elder, Olu Majelele, and President General of Elume District, Felix Emuobonuvie, also appealed to the NDDC to revisit the site and construct a durable road that would stand the test of time. They noted that residents have suffered immense hardship, with frequent accidents and delays in transportation. “The Amuokpokpor road is almost impassable because rods and metal objects used during construction have resurfaced, bursting tyres and discouraging motorists. Recently, we lost a young man in a fatal accident when his vehicle overturned on the road,” they said.
Women leaders, Mrs. Mercy Izobo and Mrs. Bridget Emuobonuvie, lamented the struggles of farmers, particularly women, who cannot transport their produce to markets. They listed cassava, plantain, yam, palm oil, timber, fish, and rubber as some of the community’s main farm outputs, but said most of the produce now rots at home because of high transportation costs. “Drivers now demand double fares due to the bad road, making it impossible for us to sell our farm products,” they explained.
Other residents, including John Otuma, Samuel Izobo, Comedy Ogbodo, and Richard Edi, commended the NDDC for initiating the project but urged the Commission to address the community’s concerns and complete the road to revive their economy.
They also appealed for the extension of the project to the riverbank with the inclusion of a jetty and drainage system to mitigate flooding and erosion that frequently threaten the riverine community.
