Two members of House of Representatives from Edo have appealed to the Federal Government to repair the Okpella-Okene Expressway to ease the hardship of commuters and motorists on the road.
The lawmakers made the appeal in a press conference in Auchi on Wednesday.
Rep. Peter Akpatason (APC-Edo) Akoko Edo Federal Constituency and Rep. Johnson Oghuma (APC-Edo) Etsako Federal Constituency urged the Federal Government to give urgent attention to the road.
Oghuma lamented that the road, which serves as a major economic access to the northern part of the country from South South had completely collapsed.
He said the poor condition of the road posed a serious challenge to the movement of goods and services from the north to the other parts of the country.
As a temporary step, he urged government to immediately repair the failed portions on the road, saying that “the road is in bad shape’’.
On his part, Akpatason said that they had moved a motion on the floor of the house to draw the Federal Government’s attention to the deplorable condition of the road.
“I think the Federal Government needs to declare a state of emergency on this road because it is in a state of disrepair.
“We have engaged the Minister of Works and Housing Babatunde Fashola on the deplorable state of the road with the aim to give priority attention to its repair,’’ he said.
The lawmaker said that the people from his constituency had been asking so many questions about the condition of the road and urged government to come to the rescue of the people.
“The road is not passable and we are not happy, we want to be travelling home with ease.
“We are hoping they secure funds so that the contractor can go back to work,’’ Akpatason said.
