House of Reps bemoan deplorable state of S’east roads

By Richards Adeniyi

Members of the House Committee on Works have expressed dismay over the deplorable state of the South East roads.

The Committee described the road as simply inhuman and obstacle to economic development in the South East.

The Chairman, House Committee on Works, Hon. Toby Okechukwu who spoke during an inspection of the road said the delay on funding for the project was causing untold hardship for the people of the South East who use the road.

Okechukwu traced the problem to poor funding from the Ministries of Finance and Works, adding that the legislature had done its own part as far as appropriation is concerned.

He said that the House had approved the sum of 2.8billion Euro bond for funding capital projects, noting that it was surprising the South East road is being delayed.

He described the Enugu-Onitsha expressway, 9th mile-Orokam road as being in a sorry state which requires urgent federal government attention.

Okechukwu told newsmen, “Enugu-Onitsha expressway is in a deplorable condition and we want some attention paid to it to rescue the masses from the difficulties they are passing through. It used to be an issue of appropriation but there is appropriation now. The problem now is fund release. Government, Ministry of Finance and Works have to pay particular attention to these roads. Our people are hurting and we are home raging.

“Christmas is coming and when you have issues of no road like this, other issues will begin to rise like wear and tear of vehicles, criminality based on people who have obstruction on the road”.

The House Committee Chairman said that bad state of the road has made many motorists taking at Oji River, adding that it is not good for heavy trucks.