Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano has called on the Federal Government to save the Onitsha/Enugu Express Road and Onitsha/Owerri Expressway from collapse as erosion has worsened the state of the road.
Obiano said this while inspecting the erosion sites along the Onitsha and Owerri Expressways on Saturday.
The governor said erosion posed danger to human lives and business activities in the area. He disclosed that he had made contact with the Presidency after inspecting the site recently and had mandated IDC Construction Company to mobilise to site and start palliative works to save the road.
He said that the Federal Government owed the state N25 billion accruing from construction of federal roads in the state.
“This is the reason why we must get permission from the Federal Government before embarking on palliatives on the eroded site.
“It is very clear from the gravity of the erosion that the state alone cannot handle the project with its meagre resources because it will run into billions of naira,” Obiano said.
The governor, however, advised Anambra people to bear with the state while it persuades the Federal Government to come to its aid and save the people from danger posed by the bad roads.
The Onitsha-Enugu road has already caved-in at the foot of the fly-over at the New parts Nkpor, Idemili North Local Government Area of the state while erosion has cut-off one lane at two points at Okija-Ihiala axis of Onitsha-Owerri road.
Obiano expressed worry that the bad spots along Okija-Ihiala axis of the Onitsha-Owerri expressway would definitely create traffic bottleneck for commuters during Christmas.
