Residents of Ohaji, Imo State, have demanded quick intervention by State and Federal Governments on Owerri/ Portharcourt Road which is highly deplorable.
The Owerri/Portharcourt Highway is badly spoilt within Umuagwo and Umuapu axis, in Ohaji, witnessing on daily basis, vehicular damage and accident, recording casualties and loss of property.
Obviously, the Express Way is a major link to Imo, Rivers and Bayelsa States. Multiple crude oil trucks always pass through this road.
Entertaining questions from journalists at Umuapu, Ohaji, recently, the President General of Umuapu Town Union, Apostle Daniel Clifford Ogbuehi, said the ExpressWay has been in deplorable condition as government shies away from doing the needful.
The PG explained that the link road got worse during reconstruction to double-lane during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan because it was intentionally abandoned by the contractor that handled the project.
Ogbuehi said Umuapu community stands as a boundary between Imo and Rivers States, saying the side of Rivers State is very clean and smooth.
“You only enjoy smooth ride on the ExpressWay from the boundary between Imo and Rivers States, while the side of Imo is nothing to write home about, because the nature of the federal road poses danger to road users. The road is a death-trap to users”, Ogbuehi observed.
Ogbuehi pointed out that the dilapidated road was making living too difficult for the people who use the road regularly, wondering why government would neglect Ohaji which he said contributes hugely to economic and social growth of the country.
“When accessing farm, market, we suffer, at home, we do not sleep well, as motorists disturb our sleep while looking for alternative routes. Businesses have slown down, with young entrepreneurs leaving the areas in search of more viable places given the unfriendly environment. Hoodlums use the bad spots as target points to rob users of the road. Hence, I urge State and Federal Governments to quickly intervene before the road becomes a total dungeon and a breeding spot for criminals”, he stressed.
Also commenting, a community leader in Awarra, Ohaji, Chijioke Osimiri, highlighted that heavy-duty vehicles fall on the road on daily basis, an anomaly he regretted hampers movement, slows commercial activities at the oil rich region.
“Major users of this road are Government and Oil Companies. Many of the trucks that fall on the road belongs to Oil Companies and still they find it difficult to put the road in good shape”, Osimiri bemaned.
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