The residents of Delta communities are facing significant economic hardship due to the collapse of a road project initiated by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
The affected communities, such as Amuokpokpor-Elume in Sapele Local Government Area are struggling. The collapsed road has made it difficult for farmers to transport their produce to markets, resulting in significant losses.
Drivers are demanding double fares due to the bad road, further exacerbating the economic hardship.
The community’s agrarian economy is suffering, with farm outputs like cassava, plantain, yam, palm oil, timber, fish, and rubber rotting at home due to lack of access to markets.
The community has appealed to the NDDC to urgently resume work on the collapsed road to alleviate the suffering of residents.
build a durable road that can withstand the test of time and support the community’s economic activities and also extend the project to include a jetty and drainage system to mitigate flooding and erosion.
“The road is almost impassable. Metal rods have resurfaced through the concrete. Riders avoid coming here. Goods can’t be transported. We are suffering.
The recent death of our son whose car overturned on this road is just one example of the dangers we face,” Community elder Olu Majelele and the President-General of Elume District, Felix Emuobonuvie, cries out.
Community chairman Daniel Ogbodo also lamented about the condition of the road.
“The road was a beacon of hope when the project began in 2020. There was jubilation throughout the community. But it didn’t even last a year. Today, it’s worse than before—heaps of stones, exposed iron rods, and no drainage system. It is now a complete death trap,” Ogbodo said.
“This road is our only lifeline. We ask the NDDC to hear our cry and help us before more lives are lost,” they pleaded
Other communities in Delta State, such as Ubulu-Uku and Oviri-Olomu, are facing similar challenges due to abandoned NDDC road projects, highlighting the need for urgent intervention to address these infrastructure gaps.
