Commuters Stranded as Protesters Block Benin-Auchi-Okenne Road

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

Commuters were stranded for hours yesterday as protesters blocked the university town of Ekpoma in Edo state over the dilapidated state of that axis of the Benin–Auchi-Okenne Highway which dualisation has been on since 2013.

The protesters, who vowed to occupy the road until work on the road commences, stressed that palliatives can no longer fix the road but a complete reworking.

The protest led to heavy duty vehicles and other road users being stranded on the road while others found alternative routes to get to their destinations.

The protest led to long queues stretching from the Ujoelen axis of the highway to Ambrose Alli University main gate and beyond, towards Benin and the same thing applies to the stretch towards Auchi where the queue extended beyond the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital.

Speaking to journalists, the Convener, Esan Liberation Movement, Prosper Iyere, who organised the blockade said they would occupy the road until the government responds to their demands to fix the road.

“We have written several letters to all the members representing various constituencies in Edo Central and the ministers from Edo State and the state governor on the state of the road. We gave them an ultimatum which expired last Friday.

“The state of the road has subjected us to untold hardship and we have decided that we will not leave here until we see caterpillars, bulldozers and asphalt. We have also volunteered that we will render selfless service to help the contractors ensure that the work is completed or palliatives provided”

The Federal Controller of Works and Housing, Edo State, Dr. Razaq Aransiola last week said unending litigations and citizens’ encroachment into government right of way have contributed to the delay in the completion of the dualisation of the highway.

He said people have created artificial obstacles and used the same to claim damages from the state government to the extent that the ministry was considering creating a bypass out of Ekpoma because of the volume of request for compensation from residents whose activities he said have created obstacles for the dualisation of the road.