From Princely Onyenwe
IMO: Ihiagwa community in Owerri West local government area of Imo state Nigeria has criticized the Imo state government for abandoning their road over years.
The people however charged the Uzodinma’s led government of disenfranchisement of the huge number of electorates resident in Ihiagwa through the continued neglect and abandonment of the road project.
Our correspodent reports that the road was commissioned at its First Phase during an official visit of Fmr President Mohammadu Buhari who came to the state on a one day working visit but on getting to the Umuoma Nekede Police Division axis, the project was abandoned till date.
From the Police Division axis to the Police Training School towards Ihiagwa market to the popular Ihiagwa Bridge down to FUTO, Obinze, Owerri PortHarcourt road has remained impassable at the time of filling this report by 9News Nigeria Owerri.
Ihiagwa road which transverse through the popular Owerri PortHarcourt, FUTO, Federal Polytechnic Nekede and Naze via Owerri Aba road is one of the most busy roads in Imo state and therefore has to be taken serious to completion by Governor Hope Uzodinma’s administration, which people are looking up to for political salvation and total recovery.
The construction work was awarded to Leo-9 construction company but the company has since stoped work and removed their equipments from site.
9News Nigeria authoritatively report that the road project has for a longtime stopped within the Nekede Police Division area while the neighboring Ihiagwa axis was abandoned, making it difficult for residents and road users to ply the route.
However, the Ihiagwa road was reportedly to be a political road used by Imo political class to sabotage the masses in the area. But since the People’s Democratic Party PDP leadership has failed to to make the Ihiagwa road motorable in their time, it will be highly surprising to note that same politics is being played out in the All Progressives Congress APC administration.
It is on record that Former Governor Rochas Okorocha came and could not construct the road and his commissioners and aides from the area were busy running around the government house without attracting one single project to their people. Then, Ihiagwa and Nekede political class and in extension Owerri West disappointed their people while in service.
When former Governor Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha came, record also has it that the sand filling push on the road was massive before his administration was stopped and sacked from office by the Supreme Court of competent jurisdiction.
At the inception of Governor Hope Uzodinma, no doubt, he met the road on a very terrible condition and made frantic efforts to engage Leo -9 construction company to commence work both on the road and the Ihiagwa bridge as reported by 9News Nigeria.
A flash back on the then condition of Naze, Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Ihiagwa, Obinze, FUTO road was unimaginable, disgusting and dangerous. Governor Hope Uzodinma made it possible at the present extent for the road to have a new look and no doubt his work stands as a legacy project to behold.
Consequent upon this, Ihiagwa people have expressed rude shock since the Ihiagwa axis of the road was abandoned following the commissioning of it’s first phase from Naze- FEDPOLYNEK- Nekede Police Division axis.
Sources told our correspodent that the political leaders from Ihiagwa are yet to come together to chat a common course for the interest of the generality of Ihiagwa people and Owerri West at large.
The source added that since the pendulum has swung to APC administration, it will be of the best interest of the people of the area to align and attract development in their place. He added that opposition, criticism and undue sabotage of government projects through undercover agents cannot improve the land. He however called for unity and reminded his people to adopt the State charter of Equity.
The source further stated that the government of Hope Uzodinma can only favour them and at the end produce an Owerri zone Governor yet unknown to Ndi Imo. The then Governor to be could be anybody. He called for a total rethink while pleading on Governor Hope Uzodinma to complete the Ihiagwa Obinze FUTO road as he promised.
While chatting with 9News Nigeria, the electorates from the area pleaded with the Government of Imo state, ably led by His Excellency Governor Hope Uzodinma to as a matter of urgency redeploy the construction company to Ihiagwa road site to complete the Ihiagwa/Obinze/ FUTO/ PortHarcourt road axis, while promising to support his bid for continuity.
9News Nigeria gathered that sometime this year, work was going on at the Ihiagwa session of the bridge but regrettedly Leo -9 construction company abandoned the work and packed their heavy duty equipments off the site till the time of filling this report.
At the time of this report, the road has remained impassable while the massive number of electorates in the area are calling on Governor Uzodinma to help out.
In other words, the November Governorship election will soon take place and Ihiagwa people and the entire people of Owerri West have pledged their total support to the All Progressives Congress APC administration while calling on the Ministry of work, Honourable Member representing Owerri West in the 10th Assembly and Governor Hope Uzodinma to switch to action to complete the Ihiagwa, Obinze, Nekede road projects.
The video link in the publication is a prove of the recent condition of Ihiagwa road. The Ihiagwa electorates have again cried out for help, calling on governor Uzodinma to recover the the road. Watch this video to ascertain the actual condition of Ihiagwa road. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid037bxD8RqvU4W3DCJrh4ScowFkAy7yGo4QLbJGPTxuDUt6hx81siDvrwrzCctBpALZl&id=100055050623514&mibextid=Nif5oz
“The good people of Ihiagwa are pleading and begging the Governor to please consider their suffering which came as a result of the bad condition of road and continue to complete Ihiagwa road.
9News Nigeria (Owerri) For inquiries on this news contact 9News Nigeria Imo State @08036856526