Residents of the Umuguma community and the World Bank Housing Estate, a suburb of Owerri Metropolis in Nigeria, are expressing deep concern over the horrible state of the roads. The roads have been under construction for several years, dating back to the Rochas Okorocha administration. Despite the ongoing construction, the current state of the road has resulted in a significant hike in transport fares. The community has been experiencing persistent flooding and waterlogging on the road, causing inconvenience to residents and commuters.
The Commissioner for Works, Ralph Nwosu, has identified the primary challenge as the absence of a suitable location to channel the flood, as the area is fully built up. This has made it difficult to implement effective channelisation. Nwosu noted that the state government is exploring alternative solutions, including the construction of a new drainage system and expansion of existing waterways. He assured that the government will continue to work tirelessly to address the challenges facing the Umuguma road.
A visit to the area by Daily Sun revealed that a permanent solution was needed, as the entire road, which is still under construction, was heavily waterlogged. The residents wondered why successive state governments always chose to start reconstruction works on the road during the rainy season instead of the dry season. Some residents lamented that the terrible condition of the Umuguma road, which leads to Owerri West council headquarters, the Orieokwu market, and the neighbouring community of Okuku, has caused them both physical and psychological stress.
Mr Chukwuma Anyanwu, a resident of the Okuku community, said he has stopped driving his car to work because of the condition of the road. He now uses public transport to and from work. Anyanwu stated that the transporters have hiked their fares, with the fare from the World Bank roundabout to Umuguma on a bus increasing from N200 to N500. He expressed frustration that the government chooses to undertake repairs on the road during the rainy season, instead of during the dry season.
Oluchi Iheanyichukwu, a commercial bus driver and a resident of the community, disclosed that the cost of maintenance of their vehicles has increased because of the deplorable state of the road. He called on the state government to save the residents and commercial buses by telling the contractor handling the project to expedite work on the road. Iheanyichukwu lamented that driving through muddy water affects the engine and vehicle in general.
Dr Anselm Ibewuchi, a medical practitioner, said that the condition of the Umuguma road is an indictment on the state government. He noted that the road has become a nightmare to ply on and that he could not risk plying the Irete to the Okuku community road to avoid being waylaid by Fulani herders. Ibewuchi stated that even the Irete-Okuku road is worse than the Umuguma road, as the state government has not considered it a priority.
The residents are calling on the state government to take urgent action to address the challenges facing the Umuguma road. They urged the government to consider the welfare of the residents and the impact of the road's condition on their daily lives. The community is eagerly waiting for a lasting solution to the deplorable state of the road, which has caused them immense hardship and stress.
Key points
- The Umuguma road has been under construction for several years, but its condition has worsened due to the rainy season.
- The road's deplorable state has resulted in a significant hike in transport fares and increased maintenance costs for commercial vehicles.
- Residents are calling on the state government to take urgent action to address the challenges facing the Umuguma road.
