Dear Editor,
Another accident. Four more lives lost. A community left mourning, grieving and angry. Yet, after the condolences and expressions of outrage, the question remains: where do we go from here in this so-called oil-rich country?
How many more lives must be lost before meaningful action is taken to make our roads safer?
The history of the Linden Highway offers a practical starting point. Many would remember when police patrol vehicles regularly traversed the highway, keeping drivers in check, stopping minibuses and enquiring about passengers’ comfort and safety. Their presence served as a deterrent against reckless driving and provided reassurance to commuters.
It is time to restore that service.
First, police patrols must be reinstated along the Linden Highway, both day and night. Regular patrols would allow officers to monitor driving behaviour, address dangerous practices and intervene when necessary. The public deserves to know what measures are currently being taken to maintain safety along this critical roadway.
I remember the period between 1980 and 1992, when police patrols were highly visible and active along the highway. That level of vigilance should not remain a distant memory. It should be restored and strengthened to meet today’s road-safety challenges.
However, the police must also understand that their presence should not be about intimidating motorists. Their responsibility is to protect lives, enforce the law fairly and ensure that everyone travelling along the highway can do so safely.
Second, proper lighting must be installed along the highway. Some road users will recall that the surface once appeared in two distinct colours, grey and black, making it easier to navigate at night. Today, with both sides of the roadway appearing black, visibility is significantly reduced, creating additional challenges for drivers travelling after dark.
If road conditions and the absence of adequate lighting are making nighttime driving more dangerous, the relevant authorities must address these risks without further delay. Street lighting, appropriate road markings, reflective signage and other safety measures should be treated as essential infrastructure, not optional improvements.
It is troubling that, in a country benefiting from substantial oil revenues, communities must continue to question whether basic road-safety measures are receiving the attention they deserve.
Region Ten deserves better. Residents, workers, families and other road users should not have to travel the highway wondering whether they will reach their destinations safely or become the next victims of a fatal accident.
Too many lives have been lost. Too many communities have been left to mourn. There has been enough talk; what is needed now is action, accountability and a clear commitment to preventing further tragedies.
I therefore call on the relevant authorities to restore regular police patrols along the Linden Highway and install adequate lighting to improve nighttime visibility.
Bring back the police patrols. Light up the highway. Save lives.
Yours truly,
Troy Glasgow
