Communities groan over abandoned road

When the contract for the Amansea-Ndikpa-Ndiukwuenu-Awa-Ufuma road was awarded by the
administration of former Governor Peter Obi to Stanutti–stocks Construction firm about two years ago, there was jubilation by members of the communities through which the road passed.
The contract was over N8 billion. The completion date was 18 months.
Moved by what the communities perceived as government’s care for their well-being, the communities vowed to give total allegiance and support to the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) during the 2015 general elections.
However, their joy was short-lived as they noticed that the road which has suffered over 150 years of neglect is about to be abandoned after contract for its construction was awarded.
The road traverses six communities namely, Amansea, Ndikpa, Ozu, Forest Reserve, Ndiukwuenu, Awa and Ufuma all of which are food baskets of Anambra State.
The fascination and dream of having good road like other communities in the state have given way for lamentations, agony and pains.
When The Nation visited some of the communities, there were mixed reactions over the project. The lamentation was more as a result of probable dashed hope on the two bridges; one at Ndi-ubani that connects Awa community and others and the other at Amansea end which they say may hinder free and smooth movement among them. This is because the two bridges are in bad condition.
Commenting on the issue, Mr. Okezie Awa Nwike, from Awa community in Orumba North Local Government Area, told our correspondent that no single person from their area is happy with the situation.
“That contract is not ongoing. We are not sure whether the problem is from the contractor or the state government. The situation of the road has worsened.
“We voted for APGA during the just-concluded elections with the hope of being repaid through the construction of this road. But that dream is dead.
“We have been gnashing our teeth because the road has been abandoned and we are neglected again. This is unfortunate,” Awa Nwike said.
However, the President-General of Ndiukwuenu community in Orumba North Local Government Area, Hon. Chidozie Okoli expressed divergent view from Nwike’s, adding that the project is ongoing.
He told The Nation that the duration to complete the road was 18 months, lamenting that already, 24 months had elapsed without its completion.
However, he said if the road is completed, it would be a new horizon in the communities as there was no easy means of evacuating their agricultural produce as a result of the dilapidated road.
He said: “We feel happy because we had been going through lots of difficulties for lack of access road in these areas, but the intervention of the state government has given us a glimmer of hope.
“But the pace is slow. The expectation of its completion is not being realized. The South African company should be serious on the construction of the road for the communities to heave a sigh of relief.”
Some of the community leaders such as 78-year-old Chief Michael Nwafor, 75-year-old Andrew Nwankwo and Pa Christopher Okeke were of the same view.
For the elders in the Ndiukwuenu community, they rolled out their drums to celebrate the award of the contract, but the government is trying to make them regret their actions.
“All we want our Governor Willie Obiano to do is to look towards the direction of our people because he will lift our spirits with the completion of the road.
“Nobody had remembered us in this area before now, but since we have entered the book of the government, all we are saying is that the sense of belonging that has been extended to us should be seen to be real,” he said.
Pa Andrew Nwankwo said: “It will not be good if our governor allows us again to rot in jail, because staying in this area without movement is akin to imprisonment. Therefore, we plead with him to assist us. Let him not abandon us the more.”
Though, members of Hausa community who do their cattle business along the Amansea end of the road in Awka North Local Government Area, claim the road is still good, they also believe that the state government should hasten up the project.
The road traverses the cattle market at Amansea where over 1,000 members of Hausa community live and transact their businesses.
For the former chairman of cattle sellers in the area, Hayatou Kojeli, the place they occupy now was not carved out by the state government. Rather, by the community.
He believes that if the road is put in good condition, it would help them explore other areas in the state like Orumba North and South respectively.
However, he believes that if the state government could relocate the cattle market while the road stays like this, it would not help them in their business.
Kojeli said: “What we want is a modern market where all the food stuffs such as tomatoes, onions and carrots from the North will be assembled, while people will come to the place to buy them in quantities instead of allowing them to go to the town and spoil the roads the more.”
Also, the Vice-Chairman of the cattle sellers, Alhaji Ali Hamadama, told our correspondents that the condition of the road is not affecting their businesses.
He, however, called on the government to fast-track the construction work on the road to help the rural men and women from different communities, adding that the road is not all that bad.