Sad tales of motorists plying Benin-AuchiEkpoma road

Motorists and commuters plying the Benin-Auchi-Okene road go through horrific experiences daily trying to get to their destinations. The bad state of the road has turned it into a death trap and a hotspot for banditry, robbery and kidnapping

The Benin-Auchi-Okene federal road which is undergoing rehabilitation has become a death trap and hotspot for armed robbery and kidnapping. Saturday takes a look at the harrowing experience of motorists and commuters on the road.

Motorists and commuters plying the Benin-Auchi-Okene road go through horrific experiences daily trying to get to their destinations. The bad state of the road has turned it into a death trap and a hotspot for banditry, robbery and kidnapping.

Many people travelling on the road have had their goods perished after spending days on the busy road on account of its bad state.

The dualisation of the road that was flagged of by a former President, Goodluck Jonathan, in 2012 is divided into three sections, with three construction companies handling each.

Reynolds Construction Company (RCC) is handling the Benin to Ehor section, Dantata and Sawoe is handling the Auchi to Ekpoma section, while Mother Cat is handling the Okene to Auchi section.

learnt that as a result of the bad state of the road, the journey from Benin to Auchi which hitherto took one hour 20 minutes now takes between four to six hours.

It was observed that the Igieduma, Ekpoma, Ehor, Agbede and Ewu sections of the road are the worst hit due to the erosion, and whenever trucks break down, it results in gridlocks and blockade which usually last for several days.

One worker with RCC told Daily Trust Saturday that they were only doing a palliative work to ease the suffering of motorists and commuters, especially as the

Christmas period was approaching.

He said the dualisation of the road was ongoing but that the palliative was to make the road motorable during the festive