President Buhari, Please Save Us -By Akobe, Nicholas(Jnr.) Arome

I want to, first of all, commend you for your unparalled dedication to service since assuming office as the honourable minister of Power, Works and Housing. It is correctly acknowledged that almost every life of Nigerian has been positively affected by your administration’s development and rehabilitation of projects.

However, I wish to remind you that those of us who hail from Igbo-Eze South, Igbo-Eze North (Enugu State) and Igalamela/Odolu (Kogi State) Local Governments have resigned to fate as a result of the condition of our road.

The rehabilitation work of the 50km road from Ogurute – Umuida – Unadu (Enugu State), Akpanya – Odolu (Kogi State) was awarded to PW Construction Company by the Federal Government of Nigeria during the regime of former President, Dr. Ebele, Goodluck Jonathan.
The contract details have it that the commencement and completion date was meant to be from February 5th, 2013 to February 5th, 2015. The project was stalled in 2013 due to lack of funding. Up till the time of this publication, the road has been abandoned by the contractors leaving the pot holes that were created by their heavy machines as erosion sites and death traps for motorists and pedestrians. The road has become a scene of real pathos.

The sticking of vehicles in the muddy water and the ordering of people out of the vehicle in the middle of the brownish swamp irrespective of the depth of the smelly stagnant water, has become a threat to the lives of the people living in this area. The locally constructed Ajuna River Bridge at Alakwa community is on the verge of collapsing. If this happens, the road would become impassable, thereby making life unbearable for motorists and pedestrians.

The road traverses many villages and homesteads where residents farm all year round. The process of harnessing the agricultural produce, mineral resources and tourism potentials in this area is being hindered by lack of access to the locations where such potentials are lying untapped.

The road when completed will increase commercial activities and transportation of agricultural produce between Enugu and Kogi State and beyond. It was expected to provide alternative routes from the South East and South South Zones to the Northern parts of the Country, reduce long hours spent travelling from Enugu to Abuja and vice versa.

Sir, we solicit your help and are confident that you will bring relief to us soon by getting the contractors back to work. By so doing, this death-trap road will never see an ant let alone a human being to entrap and devour.

Akobe,Nicholas(Jnr.) Arome.
akobenicholas@gmail.com

Writes from Agbokete in Igalamela/Odolu Local Government Area of Kogi State.