Truck drivers and other road users have asked the federal government to rehabilitate the Otukpo-Enugu highway, a major route for agricultural produce and petroleum products between northern and southern Nigeria.
They made the appeal while speaking to Channels Television along a failed portion of the federal highway in the Otukpo axis of Benue state.
The Benue State Deputy Governor and the contractor who constructed the Otukpo-Enugu Federal highway over 18 years ago, were at the Och’idoma palace junction of the road for inspection.
They went to see the extent of the failure on the road which runs through the heart of Otukpo local council and to flag off township roads.
On sighting the Deputy Governor and his team inspecting the Enugu roundabout, some youths besieged the area, asking that the federal government fix the road, which has claimed several lives overtime.
One of the motorists deplored the poor state of the road. “Since they say there is change, let them make the change for us by fixing Otukpo road and the roundabout.
“Every week we have motor accidents, trailer falling, break failure and others, we are so tired,” he said.
Others also commended the state government for showing interest in their plight.
The state government has already initiated some repairs as part of a township road rehabilitation project in Otukpo Local Government Area.
The Sole Administrator of Otukpo local government, Mr George Ali, has begun palliative work on some of the bad spots, with the belief that ‘a stitch in time saves nine’.
The Deputy Governor promised that the state would work with the federal government to find a solution to the road problem.
“I don’t want to talk about the past, it is gone and that is why we were elected.
“Our efforts should be geared towards getting things done. Anything that was bad should be corrected and that is why we are here to see what we can do.”
