By Praise Chinecherem
Traders in the Building Materials International Market (BMIM) have called on both the Federal and State Governments to expedite action on the construction of pedestrian bridge across the Enugu/Onitsha Expressway at the market axis to reduce road crashes and loss of lives along the highway.
President General of the market, Chief Jude Nwankwo (Ochendo Umuawulu) who made the call while addressing newsmen in his office at BMIM Ogidi, Idemili North Local Government Area, said over 30 persons, including traders, customers and passers-by have lost their lives while trying to cross the ever busy highway flanked by several markets.
Nwankwo who doubles as Patron for the Anambra State Market Amalgamated Traders Association (ASMATA) also urged members of the State House of Assembly who recently entertained a motion on siting pedestrian bridges at Obodoukwu Junction Ogbaru, Regina Celi, Awka and TRACAS Onitsha to consider including the Building materials market axis as one of the places that needs urgent attention to forestall further loss of lives in the area.
He said, “I must commend the robust and proactive State Legislatures we have now in the House of Assembly and also laud His Excellency, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, the Anambra Solution Governor for the massive infrastructural development going on at various parts of the state including his successes in the area of security.
“There is a serious need for a pedestrian bridge across this market expressway. We have about six major markets here: BMIM, Bakery International market, Synthetic fabrics International market, Importers Zone Building materials market, Provisions & Cosmetics market and various major plazas around this axis. This results into a surge during morning and closing hours as people try to access or leave these markets.
” Many lives have been lost, not less than 30 persons have died without counting those injured or sometime hospitalized. Let the State Government or Federal government build a pedestrian bridge here many of those who died were breadwinners and people’s rekatives.
“I also want to use this opportunity to remind Governor Soludo to consider the reconstruction and tarring of this Building Materials to Ogidi High Court road which we created. The reconstruction of the road will decongest the gridlock often experienced at this BMIM/Site expressway junction.”
Also, the PG Synthetic Dealers Association, Ogidi market, Chief Sunday Muofunanya said it was high time a pedestrian bridge was constructed in the area saying that it would also boost the market activities in the area because.
“The economic situation of Nigeria is stressing the people so oftentimes people may be rushing to meet with some things and lose focus, sometimes the brake of a vehicle may fail resulting to accident and if such happened during rush hour in the front the markets the Carnage will be much.
“I also want to plead with the State Government to fulfill their promise by putting a stop to street trading and driving all street markets into their permanent site especially those markets that had long moved into their permanent site. It will increase the IGR and control of markets in the hands of good leaders,” said Muofunanya.
According to the Chairman of Importers zone Building Materials Market Ogbunike, Oyi LGA, Mr Tobenna Igboanugo coming from Awka the road is sloppy at this end, it always risky to cross the double lane at rush hour because the population is so much. I wish they could relocate the pedestrian bridge at Tarzan junction Nkpor to this place because it is underutilized over there but will be more useful here.
“I also plead with His Excellency to direct the Ministry of Works to commence palliative work on this Site to Ugwunwasike road to ease traffic or completely reconstruct it with drainages because any road without drainage is a waste of resources because water will find its levels.
“Governor Soludo should also sanitize the roads from illegal revenue collectors scaring our customers.They wear ATMA uniform with POS machines to extort money from unsuspecting motorists charging them for wrong parking without providing alternative space but they collect bribe from vehicles plying one-way against traffic which is very dangerous,” Igboanugo alleged.
