The deplorable condition of Orlu/Ihiala road

                                                        
TRAVELLING by road has generally become a nightmare in the South-East geo-political zone in recent times, especially on some dilapidated federal roads including the badly damaged Orlu/Ihiala road. The harsh economic situation being experienced by the people of the South-East region is largely due to the bad roads. When one spends ₦15,000 in a week fuelling his vehicle and then using ₦25,000 in the same period to fix his vehicle due to bad roads, you can now imagine the horrible economic situation the individual grapples with. Movement of goods in the area is virtually impossible.

The South-East had not been adequately catered for by the Federal and State governments in terms of maintaining existing of road infrastructure. The entire zone had no good network of roads as well as befitting social amenities.

Most federal roads in the zone had become death traps, and uninspiring to travel on. The ugly situation has hampered economic activities and increased people’s hardship in the area. Unfortunately, some of our political leaders have apparently not done enough to see that the federal roads are fixed in the zone. Rather, they are more interested in what benefits them and their families.

The worst hit portion of the Orlu/Ihiala road is located at the centre of Awo-Idemili Town, the headquarters of Orsu Local Government Area in Imo State, a fast growing community. It is also a boundary community between Imo and Anambra states. The people of Awo-Idemili Town, whose land stretches large expanse of the ever-busy Orlu-Ihiala highway, had over the years been neglected by successive administrations in the country.

In spite of numerous promises of dividends of democracy by politicians to the people, Awo-Idemili still lacks basic infrastructure, including good roads and other social amenities. This is particularly worse for those who are compelled by circumstances to live in the rural areas. It is very agonizing that the town is now among the neglected rural communities in Imo State in terms of development and provision of social amenities, despite the economic importance of the area to the state in particular, and the nation at large.

For years, indigenes of this community have cried out to successive governments to develop the area, but to no avail, in spite of the fact that they are part of the state and the country as well.

For months, the Orlu/Ihiala road has become a death-trap to commuters. The arterial road, which links Imo to Abia and Akwa Ibom states, has a high volume of vehicular traffic. At least, over 120,000 vehicles ply the road on a daily basis. For years, the road had witnessed unprecedented recurring fatal accidents, security breaches and other vices that have made travelling on it a nightmare.

My experience on this road last week was horrible, to say the least. It was so bad that motorists took village bush paths to meander their ways through. But then, this particular road and other local roads within the area are impassable even to pedestrians.

The situation of the Orlu-Ihiala road has become a source of worry to every well-meaning citizen of the area because the bad condition of the road had seriously affected socio-economic activities in the area and has continued to expose the citizens to all kinds of hazards and traumas.

Users of the road are irate over its deplorable condition. Motorists and commuters that use the road daily are crying out to the federal government to come to their aid and fix the road without any further delay.

Although the people of the towns through which the road passed such as Ihiala, Ubuluisiuzo, Mbosi, Isseke, Awo-Idemili, Ebenator, Amaifeke, Ihioma down to Orlu have helped in fixing some of the dam- aged portions but such efforts are not enough to keep the road motorable during rainy season.

The condition of the road has continued to worsen by the day because it has inadequate drainage channels. Heavy downpour and flooding had cut off most parts of the road. Of the road in question, the portions at Obibi in Awo-Idemili and Amaebu Ebenator are he most pitiable. Without functional railway system, Nigerian roads are the only means of transportation.

It is regrettable that during elections, politicians will besiege the communities through which this road passed and asked for their votes and after they have won, they forgot about fixing the only federal road that passed their area.

The intentional abandonment of the road has caused the people of the area undue hardship since it has become practically impassable. The condition of the road will continue to deteriorate if nothing is done urgently to reconstruct it. Or does it mean that the Orlu-Ihiala road is completely forgotten in the rehabilitation and maintenance scheme of the Federal Ministry of Works and the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA)?

It is disheartening that successive administrations, (Federal and State) never deem it necessary to fix the road. Traders who transport their goods to the zone through this particular road lament the losses they in- cur due to the bad roads. The unworthy condition of the road has thrown some people out of the business, as it has become increasingly risky doing business in the area.

Fifty-five years after independence, it is indeed a shame that Nigeria, despite the huge revenue earnings from crude oil, is yet to develop a good transportation system. Government must stop this shame and pain.

In this regard, I want to use this medium to appeal to the Federal Government to reconstruct the Orlu/ Ihiala road and save commuters the pains of passing through this death trap. I also call on the Governor of Imo State, Owelle Anayo Rochas Okorocha and his Anambra State counterpart, Chief Willie Obiano, to prevail on the Federal Government to fix this road that passed through the two states. The earlier it starts fixing the road, the better for those that ply the road. It will also help to prevent more road mishaps in the two states.
By Ignatius Ngodi