By Regina Adaobi Aforgu
Motorists and commuters plying the Nkpor-Onitsha axis faced severe traffic congestion this evening. The gridlock stretched from Nkpor Junction down to Nkpor Flyover and extended toward Mercedes Avenue.
The situation began during the late evening hours when vehicular movement increased sharply along the route. Both sides of the road were affected, leaving little room for free flow.
Eyewitness Mrs. Ogene Onyinye, who was caught in the traffic, described the situation as a “double hit.” She said vehicles were moving at a crawl in both directions for several kilometers.
According to Mrs. Onyinye, the buildup created long delays for road users heading in and out of Nkpor. Many commuters were forced to spend extra hours on the road.
The traffic warden on duty made efforts to restore order at the junction and under the flyover. However, the volume of vehicles proved too much for manual control.
Commuters reported being stuck for over an hour during peak movement hours. Some drivers were seen abandoning their vehicles temporarily out of frustration and joined efforts to control the traffic and ease movement.
The congestion was heaviest around the under-flyover axis, where merging vehicles and roadside trading often reduce road space. This point became the major bottleneck.
Residents and drivers in the area said the problem is recurring, especially during market closing hours. They noted that the current number of traffic personnel is not enough to manage the crowd and vehicles in the evening.
They are now calling on the Anambra State Traffic Management Agency to deploy more personnel to the axis. They also urged the agency to consider additional traffic management measures to ease movement.
Until the situation improves, motorists plying the route are advised to use alternative roads where possible. Authorities are expected to review traffic control strategies along the Nkpor-Onitsha corridor in the coming days.
Regina is of the Ministry of Information, Anambra State
