By Izunna Okafor, Awka
Not once, not twice, not thrice has the Anambra State Government promised to construct a pedestrian bridge at the ever-busy Regina Caeli Junction axis of the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway in Awka, the State capital. But, regrettably, none of these promises has been fulfilled, despite the promises coming beyond the umpteenth time.
From my experience as an Awka-based journalist and resident, it has become obvious these unkept promises usually reincarnate whenever a vehicle knocks down pedestrian(s) attempting to run-cross the Expressway through the ever-busy Junction. Countless assurances from various government officials have been made, yet this vital infrastructure remains a pipe dream or better still, a dream deferred, while the Junction continues to remain a snubbed danger zone.
The chronicle of these unmet pledges and empty vows by government dates back to several years. And the promises have not just been coming from a single government MDA or official, but recurrently from different MDAs and officials. In my plethora of exclusive interviews with successive state’s Commissioner for Works and successive MDs/CEOs of the Awka Capital Territory Development Authority (ACTDA), this promised project has become a recurring decimal.
Even the Governor himself, State Commissioner for Information, Transport Commissioner, and some other top government officials have always re-echoed this promise whenever a fatal accident occurred there, depending on which of them arrives the accident scene first or addresses the media. It has always been their promise and assurance (on behalf of the State Government) to construct a pedestrian bridge at the Regina Caeli Junction. Yet, after each promise, everything about that would gradually sink, until when another fatal accident occurred there again.
Moreso, even the State House of Assembly has passed several resolutions directing the state government and its relevant MDAs to construct the long-awaited pedestrian bridge. Each time this resolution comes, the government nods in agreement, but execution becomes a problem. And since all those resolutions, no visible sign of execution of the project has been seen there till date. The most recent call from the House of Assembly, just a few months ago, has also similarly yielded no tangible results.
From available records, one can safely argue that these resolutions and unending promises by the government started becoming popular during the administration of former Governor Willie Obiano’s regimen, when some Awka portions of the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway were rehabilitated and expanded, with the attendant increase in the number of recurring fatal accident recorded thereon, especially the ones involving pedestrians attempting to cross the road and vehicles.
Regrettably, despite all the accidents that happened at the junction throughout Obiano’s eight years in office, no one ever saw the promised pedestrian bridge till date. And the risks have persisted while the promise keeps coming, even under this present administration of Governor Chukwuma Soludo.
For any pedestrian daring to cross Regina Caeli Junction, it involves taking three perilous risks. First, they must navigate one side of the dual carriageway, then cross the gaping drainage channel that divides the lanes, and finally, cross the other side of the road. A wooden plank over the gutter serves as a makeshift crossing, but it has also become a gathering place for beggars, who also risk their lives there day and night in search of daily bread.
Tragically, many pedestrians have lost their lives attempting this treacherous crossing. And many of the drivers that killed them were hit-and-run drivers, who zoomed off immediately after knocking them down. A good number of the fatal crashes at the Junction have also been caused by one-way drivers.
Given that Regina Caeli Junction stands far from the Unizik Temporary Site Junction (which is the only pedestrian bridge in the whole Awka), and considering the critical role the Junction plays as a link between two sides of Awka Town, with its high traffic volume; constructing a pedestrian bridge at the Junction is not just a matter of convenience but an urgent necessity.
The frequency of accidents demands immediate action. The government must act swiftly to prevent this recurring loss of life. If Awka must attain the ACTDA-envisioned status of a developed and safe capital city, then having a pedestrian bridge at Regina Caeli Junction is both a priority and an unavoidable necessity.
The ongoing construction of a flyover at the Aroma Junction by Governor Soludo to connect the Ifite area Amaenyi parts of Awka and also ease the traffic flow at Aroma is a necessity, but cannot be adjudged a priority when juxtapose with the need for a pedestrian bridge at the Regina Caeli Junction.
While the efforts of Governor Chukwuma Soludo to transform and modernize Awka are commendable, breaking the age-old jinx of the Regina Caeli Junction should be seen as a top priority and issue of safety concern, rather than a matter of convenience. The government should not wait for another soul to be lost before resurrecting or walking the talk and the promise of the long-expected pedestrian bridge. Time is of essence, while action is imperative.
The promise of a pedestrian bridge at Regina Caeli Junction has lingered far too long, haunting the city’s residents with each passing day. It’s high time the government turned these promises into reality and ensured the safety of its citizens. Lives are daily at stake at the Junction, and the clock is ticking. Who will break the jinx?
Governor Soludo, arise now and break the jinx.
Ọrụatụegwù, o si taa dịba mma, ọ dịbara gboo.
Izunna Okafor writes from Awka, Anambra State capital.
