BOOM! The stench of blood spattered all over enveloped the air.

The lone survivor, the only child of his aged parents could almost grasp the whirlwind that ushered in the waves of spasms and a cacophony of sympathy that inundated his ears as several bemoaned his fate, wandering how he can survive the ghastly accident that tore off his spine from his skins. Unable to keep pace with the pain no longer, he gave up the ghost. A product after fifteen years of childlessness, untimely departs with his unaccomplished dreams.

Environment hazards have become the norm as developmental projects continue to progress at a retarding rate. Focus this week is on transportation system, with emphasis on road network. Hardly does a drop of rain touches the ground, before “gullies” on the road are filled up such that rivers capable of submerging trailers are formed and events preparatory to dreams being cut short and lives lost begins. For what description can best be ascribed to the recent tirade of accidents that grace the transportation safety data outlook, as occurrences erstwhile visualized only at cinemas are now physically witnessed from boat mishaps to rail accidents, from aircrafts real and near mishaps to road accidents.

Of particular mention are 2 peculiar cases out of the myriad of incidents reported this week. Five, inclusive of two siblings preparing for NECO killed as a fuel-laden tanker rams into a commercial car in Celica area of Egbeda, Lagos State. Tanker rams into a house in Gusase-Zungeru road of Niger State forcing out residents to bring their plight to limelight through protests. 

The best response these environmental hazards continue to attract remains endless apologies, visits, & officials believing their stipends extended to the bereaved families can equate to the prematurely extinguished life of their loved ones; otherwise, these stipends could have ab initio channeled properly in advance towards establishing quality & durable transportation network among others to prevent these occurrences.

The call to these incessant environmental hazards has become essential to forestall continuous preventable deaths that trail these degradations. Hence why a non-governmental organization in Ibadan known as “Ko ‘Ya Anti-Corruption Coalition” has berated the Oyo State government for allowing the World Bank cancel its funding support to the Second Pool of Long Term Investment (PLT12) under the Ibadan Flood Management Project (IUFMP) in the state.

According to the group in a statement signed by its coordinator and secretary, Adedayo Oluwasegun and Tayo Akinola, the cancellation will negatively impact on the lives of Oyo indigenes. 

The statement reads; “The bidding process has taken unprecedented 8 months from bid opening to the temporary award of the contracts due basically to the insistence of Governor Makinde to award the project to his preferred though unqualified companies”.

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However, since they say the taste of the pudding is in the eating. Probably when the table turns, and the reverse victims in these trail of events becomes the case, maybe the quality of materials, sourcing, supervision and work done on these roads & other public utilities will enjoy an enhanced, speedy, sustainable and durable outcome. 

Until then, “court ye not death, when there are still sweets left in life to taste”. As the rains intermingle with the sandy dilution of asphalt mixtures, leaving its imprints in impenetrable erosions, with no functional drainage in sight, remember to take precautions and drive safely.

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