…Nwankwo, market leader wants govt to urgently construct Pedestrian Bridge across the market
By Chuks Eke
A Patron of Anambra State Market Amalgamated Traders Association, ASMATA, Chief Jude Nwankwo has made a distress call on both the federal and Anambra state governments to urgently come to the rescue of Anambra state citizens by constructing a pedestrian bridge across the six major markets situate at the boundary between Ogidi in Idemili North and Ogbunike in Oyi Local Government Areas of the state, along the Enugu/Onitsha Expressway.
He said over 30 persons have been crushed to death by hit-and-run drivers plying along the road in the ever busy road connecting the six major markets, including Building Materials International Market, BMIM, Ogidi; Bakery Materials International market, Ogbunike; Synthetic Fabrics International market, Importers Zone Building materials market, Provisions & Cosmetics market and various major plazas around this axis.
Nwankwo who was reacting to the latest incident where a pedestrian was crushed dead by a hit-and-run driver in front of the market while trying to cross the express road, said he listened to the recent resolution passed by the state House of Assembly urging Governor Chukwuma Soludo to direct the Commissioner for Works to construct three pedestrian bridges in some strategic places in the state but was disgusted that the ever busy building materials market area was not included among the areas to site a pedestrian bridge.
According to Nwankwo who is also the President-General of Building Materials International Market, BMIM Traders Association, regretted that of the three places where the state assembly members passed the resolution to site the pedestrian bridges in the state, including the Regina Caeli junction in Awka, Upper Iweka TRACAS in Onitsha and Obodoukwu Road junction by Onitsha Holiday Resort at Okpoko,
Jude Nwankwo (Ochendo Umuawulu) has called on both the Federal and State Government to expedite construction of a pedestrian bridge across the Enugu/Onitsha Expressway at the market axis saying that over 30 persons which includes traders, customers and passers-by have lost their lives while trying to cross the ever busy highway flanked by several markets.
Chief Nwankwo who is a Patron for the Anambra State Market Amalgamated Traders Association (ASMATA) while addressing newsmen in his office at BMIM Ogidi, Idemili North LGA also urged members of the Anambra 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.
“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,” said Nwankwo.
Also, the PG Synthetic Dealers Association, Ogidi market, Chief Sunday Muofunanya said that it 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.
