The people of Amuokpokpor-Elume community in Sapele Local Government Area, Delta State, have raised alarm over the collapsed state of a major road project in their area, appealing to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to urgently intervene before more lives are lost.
Speaking to newsmen, the community lamented that the road, completed less than five years ago, has become a nightmare, paralyzing economic activities, claiming lives, and leaving residents stranded.
Community Chairman, Daniel Ogbodo, alleged that the contractor used substandard materials, leading to the project’s collapse within a year of its completion.
He described the road as a “death trap,” riddled with exposed construction irons, heaps of stones, and no drainage.
“At first, there was jubilation, but the road deteriorated in less than a year, leaving us worse off than before the project began,” Ogbodo said.
Community elder Olu Majelele and President-General of Elume District, Felix Emuobonuvie, decried the hardships caused by the poor state of the road, citing frequent accidents, punctured tyres, and even a tragic incident in which a young man lost his life when his vehicle overturned.
They urged the NDDC to send engineers to inspect and reconstruct the road, which serves as the community’s only access route.
Women leaders Mrs. Mercy Izobo and Mrs. Bridget Emuobonuvie stressed that farmers, who produce cassava, yam, palm oil, plantain, fish, and other crops, now face crippling transportation costs and market access challenges.
“Drivers charge double fares, and much of our produce spoils at home because we cannot move them out,” they lamented.
Other residents, including John Otuma, Samuel Izobo, Comedy Ogbodo, and Richard Edi, commended the NDDC for initiating the project but appealed for urgent remediation.
They further requested that the road be extended to the riverbank, complete with a jetty and drainage system, to protect the community from flooding and erosion.
