The Chairman of Tai Local Government Area (LGA), Rivers State, Mbakpone Okpe, has urged the Federal Government to urgently repair an erosion-damaged section of the East-West Road after at least two people reportedly died in accidents along the route.
Okpe said flooding had severely eroded the Kira-Ogoni section, forcing motorists to navigate a single lane and increasing the risk of further accidents.
He disclosed this during a meeting with a representative of the Federal Ministry of Works, adding that more than six accidents had been recorded around the affected stretch, with several victims taken to hospital.
“Two persons have died. A lot were taken to hospital,” the council chairman said, recalling an accident he witnessed and reported to the ministry’s controller.
He said residents had considered blocking the road in protest last week over the deteriorating condition but appealed to them to remain calm.
According to Okpe, the local government had written to relevant authorities, including the federal and state ministries of works and the state deputy governor, who oversees the flood committee.
He said the responses indicated that repairs would be considered after the rains stopped, but warned that waiting could expose more road users to danger.
The chairman also said construction company RCC had initially offered to carry out repairs as a goodwill gesture using available materials but later indicated that it was awaiting payment of outstanding debts by the Federal Government before mobilising to the site.
Okpe maintained that the damaged section was separate from RCC’s previous expressway project and insisted that the Federal Ministry of Works should take responsibility for the emergency repairs.
“This section of the road has nothing to do with RCC. This is the entire responsibility of the Federal Ministry of Works,” he said.
He urged the ministry to assess the damage, prepare a bill of quantities and engage a contractor without further delay.
“The processes and procedures people are talking about have nothing to do with this. It is an emergency job,” he said, warning that continued erosion could cause the road to collapse completely.
The President of the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People, Olu Angah Wai-Ogosu, also called for urgent intervention, raising concerns about possible environmental factors contributing to the damage.
Wai-Ogosu suspected that sand mining activities around the area might have weakened the soil, making it more vulnerable to erosion during heavy flooding. The claim has not been independently confirmed.
He urged the Rivers State Government to intervene and consider seeking reimbursement from the Federal Government afterwards.
The East-West Road is a major transport route linking Rivers State with Akwa Ibom, Cross River and other parts of the country.
The damage has raised concerns about the safety of motorists and passengers, as well as the movement of goods and the economic activities of communities that depend on the road.
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