Residents of Warri and environs have continued to groan over the high cost of food items which traders have attributed to the parlous state of the Warri /Benin road.
A visit to Effurun and Igbudu markets in Uvwie and Warri South Council Areas respectively , revealed that there is surge in the prices of consumer food items like garri, yam, plantain tomatoes among others.
Mrs. Rachael Udoka yam seller at the Effurun market while lamenting decline in sales, said ,
“Market nor dey as before because thing don dear well ,well, this Benin road wey bad so dey affect our market because nahim dey make the things add money.
” Before, where we go pay #600 go, na we dey pay more than #1,500 because the drivers dey complain say the bad toad dey spoil their motor , too much…all this one so ,we go add join our money make we for fit make small thing as gain.
“If government go fit do the road, e go good for everybody. In the same vein, a tomatoes seller simply known as Mama Ehis at the Igbudu market also said , ” The load too dear, dem say the road too bad. This plate of tomatoes we dey sell for #200 before but now na #500 because of the transport.
Respite came the way of motorists and travelers along the Warri Benin road after the Delta State Government said they have released a whopping sum of 1billion Naira to fix the failed portions of the road few months ago .
However, this temporal relief to the road users was short lived as a result of relapsing of the road after the maintenance work which made the road worse off.
There had been public outrage over deplorable state of the road as well meaning Nigerians have continued to lend their voices ,calling on the government both at federal and state levels to as a matter of urgency , fix the road which has been a nightmare for travelers. .
The Delta state government had earlier in her response to those calling on the state government to attend to the road, and recoup the money later from the federal government, said, the road being a federal road had already been awarded to a contractor, a decision the government later rescinded and awarded the contract to Obakpor J. U. Construction.
The Warri-Benin road which was constructed during the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo, had become a nightmare for travelers.
Motorists plying the Warri- Benin and highway now have to meander through the bad road spending 4-5 hours or go through Eku , Abgor or Urhonigbe, in Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo state before getting to Benin.
Adeje which had served as an alternative route had become collection point for youths of the community who cash in on the situation by collecting #1,000 from vehicles .
