The collapse of the Calabar-Itu highway has led to a total gridlock, leaving commuters, motorists, and truck drivers stranded for days. For three consecutive days, sections of the highway have remained impassable, forcing travellers to either turn back or spend long hours, and in many cases, nights, on the road. Those who managed to make the journey described it as exhausting and distressing, marked by severe delays, fatigue, and financial losses.

Many commuters now set out expecting prolonged delays. A commuter, Uwem Isaiah, who travelled to Akwa Ibom for a friend?s wedding on Thursday, said he was compelled to remain there until Monday. Even then, his return trip was gruelling.

?I left Akwa Ibom at 9:00 a.m. on Monday and got to Calabar by 9:00 p.m. Twelve hours. What should be a journey of less than two hours now takes several hours, with no certainty of arrival time,? he said.

?At one point, we were at a standstill. Nobody could move. Trucks were stuck. People came down from vehicles to walk around because of frustration.?

Another commuter, Eka Success, who left Calabar for Akwa Ibom on Wednesday, said her return was equally torturous. She began her journey back at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday and did not arrive in Calabar until 4:00 a.m. on Sunday.

?It was just hopeless. No movement. We slept inside the vehicle. Drivers were angry and passengers were crying. The situation is unbearable,? she said.

Commercial drivers said the gridlock has taken a toll on their livelihoods as they now spend more on fuel, repairs, and time.

?Many of us cannot make more than one trip anymore. Our vehicles break down from the strain of those deep gullies and mud sections. We are suffering,? said a bus driver identified as Akpan.

Truck operators are also counting heavy losses, with some forced to divert goods through longer, costlier routes.

?If a truck gets stuck on that road, that is the end for days. Goods spoil. Nobody reimburses you,? said a haulage driver. The worsening condition of the highway has deepened concern among residents of both Cross River and Akwa Ibom states, who rely on the road as a major economic link. Many fear that without immediate intervention, it may soon become completely impassable.

Only recently, members of the National Assembly Joint Committee on Works visited the highway and expressed displeasure over the slow pace of reconstruction. They described the hardship faced by commuters as unacceptable and promised to engage the Federal Government and relevant agencies for faster action.

Despite such assurances, road users say the suffering persists.

?We keep hearing the same promises. Meanwhile, people are stranded. Businesses are collapsing. This road is our lifeline,? said a trader travelling from Uyo to Calabar.

As the gridlock continues, commuters and drivers are urging the government to urgently clear the congestion and carry out emergency repairs on failed portions of the highway pending its full reconstruction. (The Guardian)

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