Motorists and commuters using the Abakaliki–Enugu–Cross River border highway have received some relief as the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) has started repair works on the busy federal road.
The maintenance exercise began on Wednesday, July 29, under FERMA's Routine and Preventive Maintenance Work Programme. Workers have been seen patching potholes, clearing thick bushes along the road and removing blocked drains and culverts to improve the condition of the highway.
According to the Federal Road Maintenance Engineer for FERMA's Ebonyi Field Office, Mr. Akinyemi Ojo, the intervention is aimed at keeping the road safe for motorists before it deteriorates further. He explained that regular maintenance is cheaper and more effective than allowing roads to become completely damaged before repairs are carried out.
Ojo also said clearing overgrown vegetation will improve visibility for drivers and reduce places where criminals could hide to attack road users. He added that cleaning blocked drainage channels will help reduce flooding on the highway, while the project is also expected to provide temporary jobs for residents in nearby communities.
Residents of Onuebonyi and Igbeagu communities welcomed the repairs, describing them as long overdue. One resident, Sylvester Odom, alleged that more than 30 people have lost their lives in accidents on the Onuebonyi section of the highway over the past two years because of deep potholes and the poor state of the road.
The Abakaliki–Enugu–Cross River highway is one of the major federal roads linking the South-East to Cross River State and other parts of Nigeria. Many commercial vehicles, private motorists and transporters depend on the route daily for the movement of people and goods.
Road users are expected to exercise caution while the maintenance work continues, as sections of the highway may experience temporary traffic delays.
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