By Dada Ahmed in Lokoja
The people of Oworo in Kogi Local Government Area of Kogi State on Wednesday, staged peaceful protest to express their resentment over frequent ghastly motor accident on Felele Highway in Lokoja,which they observed usually leave many dead and destroy property.
Our correspondent reports that the protesters were seen carrying various placards expressing their ill-feelings over the urgly development.
The Reporters, an online media platform, gathered that the protest was sparked by another ghastly motor accident involving a truck belonging to a front line cement manufacturing company in Nigeria which, as usual,claimed life and other valuable property.
Speaking at the occasion, the President of Oworo Development Association(ODA), Comrade Umar Shaibu Adoga, described autocrashes on the highway as one too many.
He expressed concern that the stretch of the high way from NNPC Filling Station to the main gate of the Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja had recorded the highest rate of road accident with the attendant casualties and pain in the heart of many relations and sympathisers in and around Lokoja.
He, therefore, appealed to the state government to direct Ghitto Construction Company to build speed breakers on the stretch of the road from the main gate of the Federal University, Lokoja to the main gate of the Kogi State University, also in Lokoja.
The ODA president also requested the state Ministry Of Land And Housing to approve the Right Of Way to those carrying commercial activities close to the main road to check heavy loss of lives during autcrash on the road.
“The people wish Ghitto Company Hasten up work as Christmas festivity is around the corner, when traffic congestion will be experienced,” he said.
Some of the Protesters also called on commercial motorcycle, Commercial, tricyclists and other commercial transporters plying the road to always obey traffic rules and regulations to safe lives and propert.
The Reporters recalls that many lives were lost and assorted vehicles destroyed, about three months ago on the road when an articulated vehicle carrying diesel ran into stationary vehicles, leaving a family of six and five students of the state Polytechnic, Lokoja burnt, some beyond recognition.
Though the Federal Road Safety Corps, in the state put the casualty figure at 23, sources said the figure could be as high as 50.
Meanwhile, the Federal government has commenced the rehabilitation of the road, to check accident, loss of lives and property.
