Panic in Delta over collapsed walkways, open holes on drainage systems
Panic has continued to grip residents across Delta state over the collapse of walkways’ slabs and open holes constructed on drainage systems by the previous administrations of the state.
Expectedly, the construction of pedestrians’ walkways on top of the drainage system as safe route for pedestrians by the state government, was applauded by Deltans.
However, contrary to the dream of the state government to embark on the walkways’ construction with slabs on top of the drainage systems, had in the last few months exposed Deltans and residents of the state, especially in Asaba, Warri, Ughelli, Sapele and Agbor to dangers of being killed via entrapment in the open collapsed slabs of the manholes dotting the roads.
Investigation revealed that as more of the holes on the slabs cave in, pedestrians have raised the fear of sudden death especially in the reported cases of dangerous experiences they have had in their lawful quests to make ends meet.
They have therefore sought the intervention of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to save their lives especially during nightfall and raining seasons where the open holes are filled with water.
Only last Monday in Asaba along Nnebisi road, six persons were reportedly feared injured after they unknowingly, fall into the open slabs during nightfall where there was no power supply. The victims, unconfirmed sources said, are currently receiving treatment in an under listed hospital.
But the state Commissioner for Environment, Mr. John Nani, in a swift reaction, admitted the collapse of the slabs, pointing out that the construction works were executed before the Okowa led administration, disclosing that the state government was committed to making repairs of the poorly executed works across the states. His words’ “we are aware of the collapsed slabs because of the poor Jobs executed by erring contractors before we came into office, however the state government under Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa is committed to making repairs of the poorly constructed works.”
Irked by the cases of collapsed slabs and the subsequent danger it poses, respondents who bared their minds to our reporter, called on the state government and the Ministry of Environment to come to their aid.
One of them, Ikechukwu Nwaobi who said he was not satisfied with the presence of the dangerous open of the slabs on the pedestrian walkways, especially in the highly populated Asaba and its environs, said: “government should do something fast about the death traps (because) it is very bad and it will cause deaths.”
Another respondent, Paul Chidi who also kicked against the persistence of the accident-prone open manholes, dangerously positioned, lamented the inability of the stakeholders in environmental matters to see the deadly traps critically posing threat to lives of pedestrians and called on the state government to urgently proffer solution to it.
Chidi also called on the Ministry of Environment to address the problems before its get out of hands.
