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By Ozioruva Aliu, BENIN CITY

COMMUTERS travelling to the South-South states of the country through Benin City and those coming from the region to the South-western part of the country were stranded for hours, yesterday, as residents blocked the Benin-Sapele Road by the by-pass over its dilapidated state.

The residents in a peaceful protest, mounted canopies and chairs on the major road while others plied their wares for sales.

The aggrieved group, on the platform of Freedom Ambassadors Organisations in conjunction with Sarbag/Sapele Road residents, had warned residents in the state not to contemplate travelling through the Benin-Sapele road yesterday.

Chairman of the group, Mr. Daniel Omorogbe, said the blocking of the road had become necessary following series of deaths and unquantifiable man hours commuters spend on the road while trying to get to their destinations.

He said when the road got bad previously, they went on a peaceful protest, which drew the attention of the Edo State government to commence rehabilitation work on it but alleged the Federal Government halted the ongoing work, claiming that it is its sole responsibility to fix it and not the state government.

He said: “Last year, we protested and the state governor came and made his promise that within 24 hours, he is going to mobilise contractors to work and really, he did.

“He came with Hartland and Levant contractors and after the first day of their working, the Federal Government sent their troops. They asked the contractors to stop the work. They said the road belongs to the Federal Government and not to the state.

“And ever since, they have not been working. So, we did another letter to the Federal Ministry of Works, Abuja, they replied to us, saying contract had been awarded to Levant Construction Company. I went to Levant, the contractor, they said they didn’t award the road to them.”

Omorogbe added that the residents of the environs have taken it upon themselves to avert unwarranted deaths on Benin-Sapele road and also put an end to the nightmares their children face when either going to school or returning.

“We cannot just fold up our hands, we are all taxpayers, let him come and fix the road, we are not begging him to give us money, let him come and work for us”, he said.

The leader of the group threatened to remain on the road pending when the federal government mobilizes its contractors to fix it.

One of the motorists who got caught up in the blockage, Onoriode George, said it was not a funny experience.

“He said , I was not prepared for the experience as I was returning to Lagos from Ndokwa Local Government Area, Delta state with my family that came visiting from Europe. I plead with those responsible for the fixing of that road to do so.”

PIX: Crime 2 (The dilapidated portion of the Benin -Sapele Road blocked by protesters)