By Izunna Okafor, Awka
The Anambra State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Arch. Okey Ezeobi, has identified the permanent positioning of security checkpoints along roads as a major factor contributing to road deterioration and premature failure across the state and other parts of the country.
Ezeobi disclosed this in an exclusive interview with this reporter, Izunna Okafor, on Tuesday while reacting to the deplorable condition of some portions of the Idemili River road leading to the Second Niger Bridge, which has become a major route for motorists following the closure of the First Niger Bridge.
The condition of the road recently came to the limelight, following a video currently trending on social media, which showed a long queue of delayed vehicles along the two lanes of the road as motorists struggled to navigate the failed portions.
The video also showed a heap of sand reportedly dumped at one of the failed portions of the road by the Commissioner, while the person behind the recording claimed that they as individuals were making efforts to engage a menial worker to use the sand to fill part of the affected section.
Reacting to the development, Ezeobi acknowledged the deplorable condition of the affected portions and the urgent need to intervene to make the road more accessible to motorists, particularly because of its increased importance following the closure of the First Niger Bridge.
The Commissioner, however, explained that the road was a federal road, stressing that any intervention by the state government on such roads required the approval and authorisation of the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Works.
He said the Anambra State Government had nevertheless taken strategic steps towards improving the condition of the road, as well as some other federal roads that have a similar challenge in the state, because they are located within Anambra and are predominantly used by Ndi Anambra.
According to him, any such interventions coming from the state government on federal roads, are subject to the normal bureaucratic and administrative processes, which must be completed before the works can be fully executed.
As part of the follow-up to the measures already taken, Ezeobi said he had also engaged the Anambra State Controller of the Federal Ministry of Works, Engr. Timothy Emenike, over the condition of the road.
He assured that the necessary actions were being expedited, adding that efforts are already in top gear to fix the failed portion of the Idemili road before the end of the week.
The Commissioner commended the media and netizens for drawing the attention of the government and other relevant authorities to critical issues requiring urgent intervention.
He noted that the government could not be everywhere at the same time, and urged residents to continue using appropriate and established channels to report critical issues to the authorities.
He said this also aligned with the “If You See Something, Say Something” principle being advocated by the state Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo.
Speaking on another major concern affecting road infrastructure in the state, Ezeobi said the permanent positioning of security checkpoints on roads was contributing significantly to road damage and premature failure, whether on newly constructed or existing roads.
He said the impact could be verified in different locations across Anambra, citing the police checkpoint around the currently failed portion of the Idemili River road and the military checkpoint in front of the Stanel Filling Station along the busy Enugu-Onitsha Expressway, among others, as examples.
Explaining the technical reason behind the development, the Commissioner said the pressure being exerted by vehicles on the road while on a standstill position, moving slowly, or taking off from a standstill position is different from the lesser pressure exerted when vehicles are simply travelling along the road.
According to him, the repeated concentration of heavy vehicles at fixed points, particularly where they stop, queue and accelerate as a result of checkpoints, places unusual stress on the road pavement and can contribute to its deterioration.
The Commissioner noted that when such damage occurs, members of the public often blame the contractor or government and attribute the deterioration to poor-quality construction, without necessarily knowing the underlying cause.
When asked efforts being made to enlighten security agencies and discourage the continued use of permanent checkpoints along roads, Commissioner Ezeobi said there had been engagements with relevant security stakeholders and concerned authorities.
He added that letters had also been written to the relevant authorities in the past on the matter, including letters from the Management of the Mobile Telecommunication Network (MTN) to concerned security agencies in Anambra State and beyond.
Reports have itthat MTN has committed not less than N202 billion to the construction of the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway.
The Commissioner, however, noted that the engagements with the authorities over the permanent checkpoints along the road had yet to produce the expected result.
He advocated the adoption of more flexible security measures, citing practices in developed countries where security personnel do not necessarily remain permanently stationed at fixed points along major roads.
Ezeobi recommended the use of mobile patrols and, where checkpoints are necessary, the periodic changing of their locations as alternatives to permanent roadblocks.
According to him, such measures can effectively help address security concerns without unnecessarily compromising the lifespan and integrity of road infrastructure in the state and other parts of the country.
Watch the video of the Idemili River road below:
