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‎By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
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‎Stakeholders lament that unless urgent action is taken to address the rapid caving-in of a major section of Marine Road linking Liverpool Roundabout, a critical access route in the port city of Apapa, residents, workers and business owners may have to live in perpetual fear of a disaster waiting to happen.
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‎The joint in question overlooking the popular Liverpool Roundabout has developed frightening cracks and deep fissures, leaving large portions of the asphalt overlay badly displaced and on the verge of complete collapse.
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‎Checks reveal large cracks running across the entire width of the carriageway while parts of the road have sunk significantly creating dangerous craters capable of swallowing vehicles or unsuspecting pedestrians.
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‎To prevent tragedy, concerned residents have resorted to using concrete traffic drums and caution tapes to cordon off the affected portions. Despite these makeshift safety measures, however, the road remains a major threat to lives and property, particularly at night when visibility is poor.
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‎The frightening state of the road has heightened fears among residents who believe that continued vehicular movement, especially heavy-duty trucks and articulated vehicles that frequently ply the corridor, could trigger a total collapse at any moment.
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‎Beyond posing a direct danger to motorists, the road has become a nightmare for residents, employees of companies operating within the area and visitors who rely on the route daily. Motorists now struggle to manoeuvre around the damaged sections, while pedestrians are forced to navigate dangerously close to the collapsing edges.
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‎Many fear that without immediate intervention, the road could cave in completely, cutting off access to several residential and commercial facilities and potentially leading to fatal accidents.
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‎Residents have expressed disappointment that despite the visible danger, no government agency has commenced emergency repairs or taken concrete steps to address the situation.
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‎The cracks have continued to widen with each passing day, particularly after rainfall, suggesting that the failure may extend beneath the surface and stands to worsen if left unattended to.
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‎”This is no longer an ordinary pothole. This road is collapsing before our very eyes. Every day the cracks become wider, and everybody who passes here fears the worst. We are simply waiting for disaster if nothing is done urgently,” one resident lamented.
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‎Another commuter described the road as “a ticking time bomb,” warning that it would only take one heavily loaded truck or a period of intense rainfall for the entire section to give way.
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‎The development has also raised concerns over possible disruption to commercial activities within the Apapa port environment should the road become totally impassable.
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‎Marine Road is an important link within the Apapa metropolis connecting residential neighbourhoods and business premises while also serving as an alternative route for vehicles accessing parts of the Liverpool axis. Its collapse would further compound the already challenging traffic situation in the port city.
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‎Stakeholders are therefore calling on the Apapa Local Government, the Lagos State Government, the Lagos State Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, and other relevant agencies to immediately carry out a comprehensive structural assessment of the failed section and commence emergency reconstruction before lives are lost.
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‎They stress that government should not wait until a major tragedy occurs before responding, noting that preventive action is always less costly than managing the consequences of avoidable disasters.
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‎The residents also urge emergency management agencies to immediately strengthen safety measures around the failed section to prevent accidents pending permanent repairs.
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‎For many who live and work along Marine Road, every passing day without government intervention only increases the possibility of a catastrophic failure.
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‎The warning signs are no longer hidden. The road is visibly cracking apart, the surface is sinking, and the danger is evident for all to see.
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