Crusaderhotnews
An array of open drainages in Benin City, the Edo State Capital has become a threat to life to residents and commuters in the state.The drainages, serve as under ground water ways and channels for some telecommunication cables.
At the ever busy 3rd Junction,by Upper Sakponba Road,sits an open drainage about 10 ft from the earth surface.
The drainage had been there ,open for the last one year. According to Mr Monday Idahor(a trader at 3rd Junction,Upper Sakponba Road). The drainage had been there, for more than one year and nobody has done anything about it.
"You can see the open drainage here,it had been here for a long time,and nobody is doing anything about it.
There was a case of a small girl,of about 10 years old, who fell into the drainage months ago.She was lucky, because her feet and part of her body was inside the drainage,while her hands and head were outside, before she was rescued."
"We want the Edo State Government to come and cover this open drainage here, before somebody dies .There was a day a small girl of about 10 years fell into this place,but she was lucky because her whole body did not fall into the drainage. Please, Oga tell them to come and cover it ."
"My major fear is that somebody can fall into this hole in the night,moreso, this rainy season.If it rains, you won't know there is an open drainage here."He narrated
Also,at 2nd Junction,by Upper Sakponba Road,is another open drainage estimated to be about 10ft deep from the earth surface,and very close to the popular Ekiosa Market,Benin City.
A tomato seller at the market (Mrs Blessing Uwagboe) told Crusaderhotnews that the drainage had been there for a long time,and that, it constitutes a threat to life to residents and commuters and therefore should be closed by the company workers who normally open it to work and then leave them open.
Otherwise, the Government should please close it, to avoid anybody dying there.
"This drainage, you see had been here for a long time, though I can't remember when they opened it, it had been there for long time.
The telecommunication companies open it and work in them,as they serve as the passage way for their cables.May be when somebody dies in this man hole ,then they will wake from their slumber."she said
At Cooke Road Junction,by Akpakpavba Street,also situates another open drainage, almost at the middle of the road.
A tile seller at Cooke Road,Mr Godwin Chikezie, said the drainage is a death trap that may cause tragedy soon,if the responsible government agency does not act fast.He said a good Samaritan used an old tyre to cover it ,to avoid somebody from falling into
the ditch.But the old tyre was later removed.
"My brother,I don't know what the government is waiting for before,they cover this death trap at the middle of the road, maybe when somebody falls into this hole and dies,then the government will come and tell us, they don't know about it. They should please do something now, before it too late."He said.
But the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment,Mr Lucky Wasa, said the ministry is aware ,that about 30 drainages are open in the city.
According to him, those covers were removed by scavengers ,and will be replaced with concrete covers to avoid theft.
"We are aware that about 30 drainages are open in the state,those covers were removed by scavengers and the ministry plans to replace them with concrete covers,so nobody can steal them again.'he said
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