Heavy traffic gridlocks in Onitsha cause by dilapidated road condition-residents

By Phil Okose Onitsha

Holiday makers this Christmas period who may pass through Onitsha, the commercial nerve center of Anambra state will gnash their teeth following the poor state of the roads in the area which has caused scores nightmares.

Presently before 7am daily, the entire major roads leading to Onitsha have been blocked by heavy traffic gridlock, forcing motorists to look for alternative routes that will eventually worsen their problem.

Those who manage to get into Onitsha, will then be ready to spend the day on the road back home as the worse is to find a way of escape.

A trader from Abakaliki, Ebonyi state capital, told this paper that he arrived Borromeo round-about Onitsha, by 10am on Wednesday with the hope to return same day but was held in the traffic gridlock for hours which made him to return to Abakaliki the next day, Thursday , with his wares purchased at exorbitant prices.

“I am a trader in Abakaliki but I come to Onitsha once in a week to make purchases. Since November this year the road condition in Onitsha has turned to another thing. Every road now is a death-trap, and no hope for palliative work.

l Mercy for Christmas holiday makers that will pass through Onitsha. Even some streets we use as alternative routes have become worse.”

“If nothing is done to help celebrate this Christmas period, then most people will prefer to remain where they are coming from.

The roads are terribly in bad condition and I urge Governor Willie Obiano to do something now before our children close for the Christmas holiday” he pleaded.

Also a motor merchanic who simply identified himself as Sunday, lamented that the traffic gridlock is affecting them as those who want repair work on their vehicles do not find ways to their workshop for the repair of such faulty or damaged vehicles.

His words, ” we are also in trouble because the vehicles that are damaged can not find their way to our workshop.

The other time a commuter bus got spoilt two poles away from our work shop and the driver and passengers were on their knees begging us to come to the spot it got damaged to repair it because they could not even push it to our work shop because of the heavy traffic gridlock that blocked the entire place”

A teacher who pleaded anonymity said that, “what I now do every day is to get up by 4.30am, and do my morning duty and then leave before 6.30 sm to avoid lateness to school”

“Returning is never a problem because I will not be in a hurry like in the morning but that does not mean that I will be happy for keeping late hours.

Sometimes I return by 6pm having dismissed from school by three or four o’clock because of lesson classes for our pupils, so we are in trouble of bad roads everywhere.”

“The governor should not be blamed because he wanted to work on the Federal roads that are the major cause of what we are suffering now but  they refused him”

“This is Christmas period and it is gridlock every place coupled with high cost of wares and transport fares, so what are you up to”, she fumed.