This Killer Manhole In Ketu Lagos Is Wide Enough To Swallow A Tricycle

This Killer Manhole In Ketu Lagos Is Wide Enough To Swallow A Tricycle

By Jide Owatunmise

The case of a promising young Accountant, Adewura Bello who met her untimely death in a manhole on a road in Lagos State is still very fresh in our memories.

For about three years now, I have used various platforms to draw the attention of the governments, drivers, riders and pedestrians to the open manholes in Lagos and Abuja. This was a follow-up to my road traffic research assignments in Ketu area of Lagos State and Wuse Area 1 in the Federal Capital Territory (Abuja).

At Ketu bus stop in Lagos State, there is a very dangerous manhole by the junction of Ketu – Ikosi road which is wide enough to swallow a tricycle. Whenever it rains, the rush of water through the manhole can move a car with speed.

There are open drainage, weak wooden planks and broken concretes at different parts of the drainage along Ketu – Ikosi road. The drainage beside the Ketu market is another snare whether there is rainfall or not.

In the Federal Capital Territory, far beyond the areas of coverage of my research, dangerous open manholes have dotted virtually all the roads in Abuja.

During my research, I was told that people, particularly the refuse cart pushers popularly called “BOLAR” used to steal the iron covers for the manholes.

This is another demonstration of the security lapses even in the Federal Capital Territory.

These open manholes can cause harm to pedestrians, cars and other road users. The manhole can cause tyre blowout and somersault among other hazards.

The government road and traffic monitoring agencies should take stock of all these open and dangerous manholes so as to replace them with welded or screwed iron covers or better still, with concrete covers. The construction companies should also change their preference to concrete manhole covers.