The government of Enugu State is to re-construction the accident-prone Ugwu Onyeama axis of the Enugu-9th Mile road.
THE WHISTLER reported that about ten vehicles and twenty persons were burnt beyond recognition last Saturday when a petrol-laden tanker exploded along the road.
The Federal Road Safety Corps however put the figure of the dead at eighteen.
The reconstruction of the road by the state was disclosed by the state Commissioner of Transportation, Dr Obi Ozor.
He said although it is a federal road, the state government would not watch as citizens are being killed along the road on a daily basis. He recalled that the road had witnessed four fatal road mishaps in the past eight months.
Quoting him, “One lane of the expressway has been fixed by the federal government under its MTN Tax Credit Scheme initiated under the Buhari administration.
“But because of the urgency, Gov Peter Mbah has pledged to reconstruct the second lane to ease the pressure on the repaired one.
“The accident is because there is no road demarcation as both going and coming vehicles use the same lane. And they are always on speed because of the fineness of the road.
“It is a federal road, but we have been intervening, even though it takes a long time to get refunded by the FG.
“The state cannot fold its arms and watch the citizens perish. It will be done from New Market in Enugu to Echochin at 9th Mile. That is why some parts of the route have been blocked.”
He cautioned drivers to be safety conscious, adding that what worsened last Saturday’s accident was fake anti-locks of the tanker which could not hold the pressure of the substance therein.
He assured that the road would be fixed within three months. On the call to bar articulated vehicles from using the road during day time, the commissioner said the state does not have the jurisdiction because it is a federal road.
He however cautioned drivers to ensure that their vehicles are in order, and observe road traffic rules.
It was gathered that the road had been under construction for over fifteen years even before former President Buhari intervened through the MTN Tax Credit Scheme.
