By Balogun Mabamije
Residents and motorists in Ughelli and environs have appealed to the Ughelli North Local Government Council Chairman to find solutions to the menace of tricycle operators at Afiesere Junction, causing traffic jam, bodily harm and sometimes accident.
According to residents, some of them who trade along the road said the hustling tricycle operators undermine the rights of other road users by parking along the very-busy and congested Afiesere Junction thereby causing traffic jam on the road all the time.
They also disclosed that the tricycle operators do not only park along the road but also reverse there instead of going to turn through the express way, thus compounding the already worsened situation.
A resident of Afiesere Community, Mrs Dora Oru, who spoke to our correspondent yesterday, described the situation as very unfortunate, saying that it was inhuman for the tricycle operators to use their tricycles to block the road at will without considering the rights of other road users.
Mrs Oru observed that the road had collapsed due to the turning of the tricycle at the junction and appealed to the Ughelli North Local Government council Chairman to proffer solution to the problem by relocating the tricycle park from the junction.
She noted that on several occasions, passers-by had been caused bodily injuries from motorcycle riders who find it difficult to maneuver their way due to the congestion, stressing that the unfortunate passers-by became their victims.
Mr Ejenavi Ogberejekon, who resides at Ekrejebor Community, said that the tricycle park at the Afiesere Junction should be relocated and appealed to the local government chairman to carry out repair on the failed portion of the road to ameliorate the suffering of the people.
He condemned the attitude of some tricycle operators, whom he said sometimes dropped and pick passengers at the junction, just as he added that the Ofuoma Motor Park should also be relocated from the junction.
One of the traders at the junction who did not disclosed her name for fear of being attacked by the tricycle operators, narrated how on one occasion she was hit by a when the rider tried to maneuver his way through the congested road.
She said it was God that delivered her from having a broken leg that day, just as she appealed to the local government chairman to proffer solution to the problem.
One of the tricycle operators, who spoke on grounds of anonymity, said that the said menace was being over-blown, adding that they were just hustling for their daily bread like everyone.
