The Enugu State government has announced plans to reconstruct the hazardous Ugwu Onyeama section of the Enugu-9th Mile road, which has been the site of numerous deadly accidents. Last Saturday, a petrol-laden tanker exploded on the road, resulting in the tragic deaths of about 18 people, according to the Federal Road Safety Corps, while reports indicated that ten vehicles were completely burnt. This incident highlights the ongoing danger posed by the road.
Dr. Obi Ozor, the Enugu State Commissioner for Transportation, revealed the government’s intention to undertake the reconstruction. While acknowledging that the road is under federal jurisdiction, he emphasized that the state could not remain passive while citizens continued to lose their lives on this stretch. He pointed out that the road had witnessed four fatal accidents in just the past eight months. Ozor explained that although the federal government had repaired one lane of the road under its MTN Tax Credit Scheme, there was an urgent need to reconstruct the second lane to alleviate the pressure on the repaired section.
He attributed the accidents to the lack of proper road demarcation, which forces vehicles traveling in both directions to share the same lane, often leading to high-speed crashes. Although the federal government had been slow in reimbursing the state for its interventions, Ozor stressed that the state government would proceed with the reconstruction from New Market in Enugu to Echochin at the 9th Mile and assured that the work would be completed within three months.
Ozor also advised drivers to be cautious and ensure their vehicles are properly maintained. He noted that the recent accident was exacerbated by faulty anti-lock systems on the tanker. Regarding calls to restrict articulated vehicles from using the road during the day, he clarified that the state government had no authority to enforce such a ban, as it is a federal road. The road has been under construction for over 15 years, with the federal government’s involvement only recently initiated under former President Buhari’s MTN Tax Credit Scheme.