Restore Nsukka Streetlights, Residents Beg Gov Mbah

Residents of Enugu Road in Nsukka, Monday, begged Gov Peter Mbah to restore the streetlights on the road, which spanned over two kilometres.
According to them, the darkness that engulfs the dual carriageway at night has led to some avoidable road mishaps, as well as provided covers for perpetrators of criminal activities along the road.

THE WHISTLER gathered that the streetlights last became functional during the regime of former Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi. The road was also dualised by Ugwuanyi during his first term in office. It was learnt.
“Since Gov Ugwuanyi’s administration ended, we have not had light on that expressway,” says Moses Eze, a vulcaniser at Ede Obara. “There is no week that this road doesn’t record road accidents, some of them fatal. Some weeks ago, a tipper crushed a young man around FenPark Junction, caused by the darkness because the tipper had no light. Such is a recurring incident. We appeal to the state government to restore the streetlights. It will save lives and also flush out criminals that hide in the darkness to commit their crimes.”

Chief Obiora Idoko is a pub operator along the road. He said the beauty of the road had died since the lights became moribund. “When the light was functional, Enugu Road in Nsukka looked like London. But since 2023, that beauty is gone. We appeal to the state to restore the light. It will also reduce road carnage. This is the road that most vehicles now use to go to the North, through Ogwugwu, or Akpanya in Kogi State. I don’t know why it has not got the state government’s attention. I hope that Gov Mbah is not aware, and probably will intervene after reading this report.”

Kate Ozioko sells food around St John, Ugwuoye. She said, “If there were light, we would have a lot because we don’t need to power our generators at night. But under this darkness, we must keep our generators on when there is no power supply from the Mainpower Distribution Company. We need help urgently.”

Investigations carried out at the state Rural Electrification Board showed that the streetlights have no functional problem. A source that refused to be mentioned said, “It is powered by diesel, which is expensive. What serves in most of the Enugu metropolis is solar. So I’m sure plans are on to restore those on Nsukka Enugu Road. But, the residents need to make more efforts to draw the state government’s attention.”