Nigeria’s Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has expressed concern over the perennial gridlock at the Ninth-Mile Corner in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State especially during festivities.
To this end, he has promised to find a lasting solution to the problem before the next Yuletide.
Motorists and holiday makers have been encountering serious difficulties passing through the Ninth Mile Corner, which is a major gateway for travelers from Northern and Western parts of the country due to heavy traffic and absence of alternative routes.
Holiday makers who travelled through the commercial town during the Christmas and New Year season had very bitter experiences as they were held up for several hours, forcing some to seek alternative routes through bush paths in neighbouring villages at great risk.
The Chimaroke Nnamani government had few months before leaving office in 2007 attempted to tackle the traffic problem by creating the Ebeano Bypass intended to divert traffic from Nsukka highway through the Ama Brewery junction to Enugu – Onitsha Expressway in order to decongest Ninth Mile.
Although only the earthwork was done before the administration left office, some motorists used the road as alternative route especially during the Christmas season.
The project was, however, abandoned by the Sullivan Chime administration since the past seven years even as travelers from different parts of the country and the people of some neighbouring communities have continued to lament their plights on account of the perennial traffic crisis in the area.
In spite of the contingent arrangements put in place by the police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Federal Road Safety Commission to ensure free flow of traffic in the area this yuletide season, the problem persisted mainly due to the deplorable condition of the Enugu – Onitsha Expressway axis and the absence of alternative routes to decongest the only single carriageway used by motorists.
Worried by incessant complaints by the people over the difficult traffic situation at Ninth Mile, Senator Ekweremadu, who represents Enugu West senatorial zone, promised that everything possible would be done this year to ensure that the traffic gridlock in the area was eliminated.
Ekweremadu, who visited the Amandim-Olo community in Ezeagu local government area to inspect progress of work on the road project he attracted to the senatorial district, said that his presence at the senate was not just to make laws but to use the mandate to seek ways of assisting his people.
He said: “So many of you have been waiting for us here but we came late because of the traffic problem at Ninth Mile. There was a serious traffic gridlock there which delayed our journey. I know the problem the people of this area have been passing through at Ninth Mile particularly this time of the year. I have experienced the problem today and I want to tell you that the Egyptians you are seeing today, you shall see them no more.
“It will be a major issue that will be address this year. So, by Christmas 2015 there will be an easy movement at Ninth Mile.”
Thanking the people of Amandim for their tremendous support for his cause, Senator Ekweremadu assured that he would continue to regard the problem of the community as his, adding that he would endeavour to identify with them.
He said: “God has been very kind to us, he has answered our prayers and that is why we are celebrating. I thank the Reverend Fathers for their prayers. I am very close to this community. I remember that I gave this community a transformer sometime ago. I have just inspected the road project we are doing here and I am happy that it is moving well. I will like to assure this community that before this time next year, we will be able to have asphalt overlay on that road. We can only do this because the contractor is doing a good job and he is interested in completing the work.
“So, we are going to fund the project in the 2015 budget so that there will be enough resources to complete the project for our commissioning before this time next year. I am also aware that you have a challenge of drinking water in this community; again, we are going to address that problem”.
Responding to a request by Amandim community to come to the aid of their dethroned traditional ruler, Igwe Harford Agana, who they alleged “is being persecuted by the state government for being on the side of the truth”, the Deputy President of the Senate assured that the matter would be amicably resolved.
“We don’t want trouble in the communities. We want peace so that there will be progress in this community. No matter the level of provocation, we must need peace in this community. There is no problem that cannot be resolved on the roundtable. I know about the issue you have raised and I want to assure you that it will be resolved. There is nothing to worry about, so we will resolve it”, he said.
Earlier, the Amandim Community had in an address presented by the Secretary of the Town Union, Dr. Maxwell Odumeh expressed gratitude to Senator Ekweremadu for his tremendous assistance to the community and appealed to him to come to the aid of their embattled traditional ruler, who they said had ensured the progress of the community.
“Under the leadership of Igwe Harford Agana we witnessed rapid infrastructural development like the express linking us with Uzo Uwani and Iwollo, electrification of the community, provision of pipe borne water, quick dispensation of justice and more importantly security of lives and properties. All these are in the past now, crime has increased and nobody is safe as the community is left without effective leadership.
“It is worthy of note that Igwe Harford Agana has been the Igwe of the community for over 13 years and rose to become the chairman Enugu West Council of Traditional Rulers due to his excellent leadership qualities despite his youthful age.
“He has helped in mediating peace in Amandi, Olo and the entire Enugu West, his advice is sought far and wide and that he gladly and freely gives. However, the peace and tranquility we enjoy was shattered when on 12th August, 2014 an impostor was imposed on us without consultation, the community protested but was not heard instead we were brutalized.
“We are, therefore, crying out for justice and redress of this injustice by restoring to the throne the rightful owner and we are confident that justice will be done,” the community told Senator Ekweremadu.
Also speaking, the embattled royal father, Igwe Agana, who had challenged his dethronement in court, noted that Ekweremadu has shown great interest in the affairs of the community and had assisted them with the provision of infrastructure.
He urged the people of Amandim to pray for Ekweremadu’s success in all his endeavours so that he would continue to assist the community, which is part of his constituency.
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