Narrowness of the Mararaba-Nyanya road, which leads to and fro Abuja, makes
it a death trap, Okechukwu Nnodim reports
About a fortnight ago, a heavy duty truck crushed no fewer than seven cars
that were trapped in traffic on the Ado end of the ever busy Mararaba-
Nyanya road. The road is characterised by severe vehicular gridlock on a
daily basis.
Since then, different accounts have been given as to what led to the
accident which claimed no fewer than seven lives on the afternoon of
Saturday, January 31, 2015. While some witnesses said the brakes of the
truck failed while it was descending the steep highway, others blamed it on
the driver, alleging that he was over-speeding.
However, many others blamed the government. But why should most witnesses
heap the blame on the government?
Tobechukwu Stanley said, “The government has failed us. These cars were
crushed and passengers in them killed because of the government’s
negligence to expand this road to ease vehicular movement on it.
“This road is one strategic route into and out of Abuja and despite the
fact that it is narrow, the number of vehicles that ply it on a daily basis
is enormous. That is why we always encounter hold-up on it. We have read
about promises by the government to expand the lanes, but nothing has
happened. Can you imagine the agony which this accident has brought on
families of victims in these crushed cars?”
Stanley, whose shop is close to the scene of the accident, lamented that
the gridlock on the road was “highly counter-productive” to both private
businesses and workers who ply the route to the Federal Capital Territory
daily.
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