The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), has called on the contractor handling the Enugu-9th Mile section of the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway to make at least a lane in the section of the road passable.

Recall that for some days now since the closure of Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, there had been increase in vehicular traffic on the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway, which is currently undergoing reconstruction work on its sections.

However, the Enugu-9th mile section of the road opened to traffic had been laden with vehicular gridlock that does last for over 12 hours on a very difficult day.

The FRSC Sector Commander in Enugu State, Mr. Ogbonnaya Kalu, made the appeal while speaking with newsmen in Enugu on Sunday after inspecting the bad portions of the section of the road.

Kalu noted that the contractors handing the palliative of the section of the road can do little things to ease the traffic as well as lessen the sufferings of Nigerians that use the road.

“It is abnormal to start a construction work without making the area you want to divert traffic to passable.

“I appeal to the contractor carrying out palliative work on the Enugu-9th mile section of the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway to ensure that the gullies in the section opened for traffic is filled with stones and graded to aid even passage of vehicles.

“Another thing to be done, is that the lengthy diversion on the road should be shorten to about 500 metres in order to allow motorists make use of the good portion,” the road safety officer appealed.

Kalu explained that since the increase in traffic on the road occasioned by the closure of Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu; trucks, articulated vehicles and trailers only enter or leave Enugu through the section of the road “as other inner state or link roads have cross-bar barricades on them,” he explained.

The sector commander said that he had deployed personnel on the section of the road for two weeks running to ensure orderliness and flow of traffic, but most times the terrible deplorable condition of the portion made it difficult to ensure hitch-free flow of traffic.

“I have stationed our men on the section of the road both day and night as well as deployed the FRSC heavy tow truck as well.

“But the deplorable nature of the road even makes it hard for the heavy tow truck to function.

“While daily we record tens of vehicle breaking down or fall on the road; thus, compounding the chaotic situation already on the road,” he said.

Also speaking, Mr. Chukwuemeka Eleweke of the Federal Ministry of Works told newsmen that the ministry had noted the complaint of the FRSC and would advise the contractor to do the needful.

Eleweke, who is the ministry’s project supervisor of the section of the road, assured that the ministry would ensure that the contractor comply with best practices.

The Enugu-9th Mile section of the road is covering about 1.2-kilometre stretch.

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