Interstate drivers operating in Port Harcourt have renewed calls on the Federal Government to urgently rehabilitate failed sections of the East–West Road and strengthen security along major highways, citing growing threats to their safety and livelihoods.
The drivers, who spoke with our correspondent at the popular Waterlines motor park, expressed deep concern over the rising cases of kidnapping and armed robbery on interstate routes across the country.
They said the situation has created an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty, forcing many of them to operate with extreme caution.
“The insecurity issue is bad, everybody knows about the insecurity. It is not a new thing to the whole nation, so we that drive, we always have scare because we don’t know where the bad people are going to stay in the highway.
So let the federal government come and do something about insecurity because they vote them in to be there to secure the lives of the people” said a driver.
Another driver described the issue of insecurity as a national issue. He said they are able to travel on the road only by the grace of God
“The insecurity is just too much, nobody is safe in this country, we’re just here by God’s grace. Even as we’re traveling on the road, it is only God that is protecting us. We have to take extra precautions because this thing happens even in the day time not only night “
According to other drivers, the deplorable condition of the East–West Road, one of the major routes linking the South-South to other parts of the country has worsened their challenges. They noted that damaged portions of the road often lead to long delays, increased vehicle wear and tear, and higher transport costs.
One of the drivers said,
“From Warri to Sapele is a problem for us, the road there is so bad. There is no road to Benin. They said they want to repair it, up till now, nothing like repair.
We’re passing one-way, and went it choke, there is no way”
Similarly, a Port Harcourt-to-Lagos driver narrated his ordeal along the way following the state of the road
“The road is very bad, sometimes you can stay inside hold up for five good hours. Before we can get to Lagos where we could reach by six or five o’clock, before you could get to Lagos, twelve midnight. So that’s the thing we’re facing there”
According to him “the road is very bad and not safe at all. We spend long hours on the road because of the bad portions, and at the same time we are afraid of kidnappers. We need government to fix it urgently.”
Beyond the poor state of infrastructure, the drivers also lamented the impact of the recent hike in fuel prices, which they say has significantly reduced their profit margins. Many of them explained that after covering fuel expenses and vehicle maintenance, little or nothing is left as income.
They further revealed that passenger turnout has dropped sharply, as many travelers now avoid road transport due to safety concerns and rising fares.
A driver at the park disclosed that he had stayed at the loading point for over four days without getting enough passengers to commence a trip.
“Like me now, I’ve been here since four days. We no longer have passengers, A driver loading Lagos just came to me and said ‘my brother na wa oo, e don dey here for four days, no passenger’.
Who wants to travel again? Nobody wants to travel.
We know they hijack plane oo, we have hijackers in the plane, but it’s very rare, unlike on the road, that’s just the truth”.
Another driver who identified himself as Arinze Orji said he has spent over one week at the park without being able to get passengers for a trip.
“Me personally here, I’ve stayed here waiting for my turn for a week and two days now, a week and two days, I’m waiting for my turn. But before from Lagos to Port Harcourt, two days latest, you’re back to Lagos, but now I’ve stayed here for a week and two days”
He said the business is no longer as it used to be, noting that people are afraid to travel, and the cost of transportation is too high for many. Sometimes you wait for days without moving,” another driver said.
The drivers warned that if urgent steps are not taken, the situation could further cripple interstate transport operations and negatively affect economic activities that depend on road mobility.
They therefore called on the Federal Government to prioritise the rehabilitation of critical road infrastructure, deploy more security personnel along highways, and introduce measures to cushion the impact of rising fuel costs on transport operators.