Travellers on the busy Benin-Lagos expressway were stranded Monday as scores of youths barricaded the road to protest the deplorable condition of inner city roads in the Uwelu area of, Egor Local Government Area of Benin City.
There was a long line of vehicles as the protesters who took over the road at Uwasota junction prevented vehicles from plying the road which leads to Lagos as well as the University of Benin, University of Benin Teaching Hospital, the popular Uselu Market and other neighbourhoods in the Edo State capital.
Motorists heading to Ugbowo, Oluku and other parts of Benin metropolis had to resort to adjourning streets where they contend with the bad roads for several hours in a desperate effort to beat the traffic hold up which stretched from Uwasota junction to the nearby Uselu Market.
In frustration, some commuters resorted to trekking for long distances on the road which was devoid of it usual heavy traffic.
A journey from downtown Ring Road to Ugbowo which normally go for N150 by UNIBEN Shuttle mini bus doubled to N300 because of the commotion occasioned by the demonstration.
The spokesman of the protesters, Mr Ikponmwosa Omoigui said that they decided to barricade the highway to draw the government’s attention to the pathetic state of Uwelu, Uwasota and other roads in the Egor Local Government Area of the state.
Ikponmwosa said that they resorted to desperate measures after several appeals and petitions by the government were not heeded.
He defended: “Blocking the road at Uwasota junction is the only way to draw government’s attention to the sad state of roads in Uwelu, Uwasota and other parts of Egor.
“Egor with Uwelu Spare Parts Market which is the largest in Sub-Saharan Africa generates so much revenue to the state government but gets very little in return. After several petitions and appeals to the state government and no response, we decided to block the road.”
He vowed to continue with the protest and the road blockage until the government heed their request and repair the damaged portions of the roads in Egor.
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