The Amawbia, Anambra State portions of the partially finished Enugu-Onitsha Dual Carriage Way will be temporarily opened by MTN Nigeria in collaboration with the Federal Road Safety Corps ahead of the holiday season.
The dual road that links Anambra and other South-East states is reportedly financed by MTN, PUNCH reported.
The route was opened to facilitate traffic flow for commuters from the South-East going through the Yuletide, according to Dr. Reginald Facah, Coordinator of the MTN Community Liaison Initiative, during a news conference in Amawbia, close to Awka, Anambra State.
Facah observed that the Yuletide season has caused a large influx of vehicles along the Onitsha roadway, resulting in gridlock, and said that the purpose of opening the road is to relieve the congestion to ensure smooth transit for road users
He said, “Today, we are gathered to temporarily open the partially completed sections of the Enugu-Onitsha Dual Carriage Way, not because the entire project is ready, but because December and Christmas have seen unimaginable suffering on the parts of commuters and drivers on this same road.
“However, with today’s opening of the Amawbia section and the opening of Amawbia flyover, an untrammeled driving experience is once again here for human and vehicular traffic which are usually heat during this period.”
On his part, the Senior Manager Sales, MTN, Emmanuel Okereke, said the organisation is excited to partner with the Federal Government on a road infrastructure tax credit scheme to complete the rehabilitation of the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway.
Okereke said, “This road does not only connect Enugu and Anambra states; it is a gateway to the rest of the country and Africa. Our commitment is to deliver an expressway that will be the pride of the South-East people and Nigerians in general.”
In his remarks, Sector Commander FRSC, Anambra State, Adeoye Irelewuyi, said, “At festive periods like this, this section of the road always experienced very serious traffic jam at the slightest obstruction to traffic flow usually causes a pile-up in both directions.
“It is therefore with great joy and relief that the Anambra State Command of the FRSC is marking this occasion of the temporary opening of this section.
“We surely believe that it will ease the traffic jam usually experienced at the Amawbia flyover and underpass, as well as reduce road traffic crashes on the stretch.
The Sector Commander urged everyone traveling on the roads both during and after this holiday season to always be patient, including the citizens of the state.
Patricia Igwebuike, the Anambra State Commissioner for Transportation, had earlier praised MTN for their prompt action and urged drivers to exercise cautious on the roads, particularly around the Yuletide.
