Residents of Amuokpokpor-Elume in Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State have cried out to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to urgently fix the collapsed road linking their community to the outside world.
The road, completed barely a year ago, has already failed, leaving behind potholes, exposed rods and stones, and no drainage system. Community members say the situation has paralyzed farming and trade, forced up transport costs, and even claimed lives.
Community chairman, Mr. Daniel Ogbodo, accused the contractor of using substandard materials. “The road turned into a death trap within a year. Today, motorists avoid us because tyres burst easily. Our people are stranded,” he said.
Elders Mr. Olu Majelele and Mr. Felix Emuobonuvie recalled the recent death of a villager whose vehicle somersaulted on the failed stretch. They urged the NDDC to dispatch engineers to rebuild the road, describing it as the community’s only access route.
Women leaders Mrs. Mercy Izobo and Mrs. Bridget Emuobonuvie said farmers now watch their cassava, plantain, yam, and palm produce rot at home because transporters demand double fares.
Other residents — John Otuma, Samuel Izobo, Comedy Ogbodo, and Richard Edi — appealed to the NDDC to not only reconstruct the road but also extend it to the riverbank, complete with drainage and a jetty to check flooding and erosion.
They insisted that a properly executed road project would restore livelihoods and unlock the economic potential of Amuokpokpor-Elume.