CALABAR (CONVERSEER) – A Mercedes Benz diesel truck belonging to MTN Nigeria, with registration number APP 77XB, has damaged a Toyota Hilux conveying sachet water along Assemblies of God Road, off MCC Road, Ikot Uduak, Calabar Municipality.
The incident occurred shortly after the Timber Market junction, a stretch notorious for its deplorable condition and lack of government intervention.
The Toyota Hilux, bearing plate number IND 717XC, was reportedly parked when the MTN truck, while attempting to access the telecommunication mast for refuelling, hit it. The impact caused significant damage to the vehicle.
Engr. Edet Udoh, the owner of the damaged Hilux and a resident of the area, expressed frustration over the repeated obstruction and recklessness of the MTN truck operators.
“Each time they come to service their generator, the road is completely blocked. The bad road only makes things worse. Now they’ve damaged my vehicle and I’ve taken it to a welder and panel beater for repairs. I’m appealing to MTN for compensation,” he said.
Efforts to reach the MTN Calabar office for comments on the incident were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.
Residents say the poor state of Assemblies of God Road has compounded the risks in the area. The road, initially slated for rehabilitation under the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP) during the administration of former Governor Ben Ayade, was abandoned by the contractor.
Despite multiple visits by engineers from the Cross River State Ministry of Works and Infrastructure as well as officials of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), nothing tangible has been done to repair the road.
Residents have decried the continuous neglect of the area, stating that their repeated cries for help have yielded no results. They say the situation contradicts the current administration’s “Season of Sweetness” and “People’s First” mantra, championed by Governor Bassey Otu.
The community is calling for urgent intervention to fix the road and prevent further damage to lives and property.
