AUCHI – Commercial motorcycle operators in Auchi and Agbede, Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State, made brisk business over the weekend, charging exorbitant fares following a severe gridlock on the Agbede-Auchi section of the Benin-Auchi highway.
The gridlock, on a stretch that is normally less than 15 minutes drive, stretched for several kilometers, forcing stranded passengers to resort to motorcycles to get out of the traffic.
Motorcycle riders charged between N4,000 and N5,000 per passenger to navigate out of the gridlock.
The gridlock was attributed to the deplorable state of the road, which worsened due to persistent rainfall, and the ongoing repair works on the highway which led to the closure of some sections, leaving motorists to struggle for a narrow portion of the road.
Motorists lamented that the situation could have been avoided if the contractor handling the project had deployed effective traffic management measures and opened up the completed sections of the road, especially during weekends when locals move across villages for social events.
Some residents in the Auchi and Agbede axis said they had to cancel their social engagements due to the traffic situation.
While appreciating the government’s effort in reconstructing the road, they appealed for urgent palliative measures and better traffic control to ease the suffering of commuters.
