Delta state: Monarch decries deplorable state of road

A community ruler in Delta State has called on the state government to attend to the bad condition of the major road to the community.

The Paramount Ruler of Adonte Community in Aniocha South Local Government Area of Delta, Chirf Emmanuel Offor, has decried the deplorable condition of the access road to the community.

Offor told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Adonte, Delta, on Sunday that the current condition of the link road to the community had caused much suffering to the people.

The monarch appealed to the state government to arrest the erosion menace in the area which was gradually cutting off the community from other parts of the state.

"Over the years, the condition of the only access road has been worsened by erosion and there has not been any effort by successive administrations to fix it.

"The situation is worse during this rainy season. Our people are suffering as movement in and out of the community has become a big challenge," he said.

He said the situation had affected the socio-economic lives of the people, many of whom are farmers.

Offor said: "our people are farmers. With the present condition of the road, it has been difficult moving their produce to the outside market.

"The few vehicles that manage to enter the community, charge exorbitant fares to ferry the people and their farm produce to the markets in Ogwashi-Uku and Asaba.

A youth leader in the community, Mr Chucks Okpunor, also appealed to the state government to pay attention to the people’s plight.

Okpunor said that the state of the road had worsened with the gully erosion.

"Adonte people are predominantly farmers, noted for the production of cassava, yam, cocoa and oil palm; but due to bad roads, we cannot move our produce to the urban centres.

"Every year, our farmers loose huge incomes because they cannot transport their produce to the major markets. Our story is so pitiable," Okpunor said.