Federal Highway of Horror 2: Motorists, travellers in anguish

By Emma Amaize, Regional Editor, South-South, Soni Daniel, Dayo Johnson, Sam Oyadongha, Olasunkanmi Akoni, Wole Mosadomi Ademola Akinyemi, Bashir Bello, Ndahi Marama, Peter Duru, Therese-Marie Nanlong, Steve Oko, Jeff Agbodo, Charly Agwam, Femi Bolaji, Idris Salisu, Haruna Aliyu, Musa Ubandawaki, Abel Daniel, Egufe Yafugborhi, Ozioruva Aliu, Emma Unah, Dan Abia, Ochuko Akuopha, Ike Uchechukwu, Calabar & John Alechenu

A sizeable fig of national roads successful the South-East and bluish parts of the state are surely not successful the champion condition, though immoderate person precocious undergone a facelift, particularly successful the South-East.

The dilapidated highways taxable motorists and passengers to a gruelling experience, which has made inter-state question successful Nigeria a nightmare.

In the East, enactment is presently ongoing astatine the Enugu axis of the Onitsha-Enugu-Abakiliki expressway.
In Abia State, respective national roads are successful precise mediocre condition. Some, done the involution of the authorities government, are opening to person attention.

Before the emergence of Governor Alex Otti successful 2023, virtually each national roads successful the authorities were successful a atrocious state, but done his intervention, national roads specified arsenic the Mbaise-Umuahia road, Port Harcourt Road, Aba; Ohafia, Arochukwu road, among others, are present wearing caller looks.

Nonetheless, respective others are inactive nightmarish to motorists and commuters plying them.
One of the national roads successful the authorities that requires urgent attraction is the 50-kilometre Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene Road that connects the South-East with the neighbouring South-South.

Though declaration for reconstruction of the roadworthy had been awarded by the national authorities implicit 5 years ago, the contractor handling the task had been moving astatine snail’s pace.

This has worsened the plight of roadworthy users who, connected a regular basis, person to contend with unsafe potholes and nonaccomplishment of man-hours connected the road.

Some portions of the roadworthy would person wholly failed but for occasional interventions by the authorities government, particularly astatine Ndume, Timber Shed Market junction and Ikwuano axis.

The Umuahia-Bende-Ohafia national roadworthy that passes done the state location of Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Ben Kalu, is besides begging for attention.

There has been a contention surrounding the grant of the declaration arsenic the subordinate representing Ohafia Arochukwu national constituency, Ibe Okwara Osonwa, erstwhile said the declaration had been revoked.

It took the involution of Abia State authorities for the iconic Omenuko span astatine Abam conception of the road, which had since go a decease trap, to beryllium repaired.

The span is present a quality to behold but the roadworthy itself, from Bende down to Ohafia, needs urgent attention.

Ohafia- Arochukwu conception of the roadworthy had been the worst information of the road until Governor Otti besides awarded declaration for its rehabilitation.

Ebonyi residents telephone for reconstruction, rehabilitation of deplorable national roads

In Ebonyi, residents are lamenting the deplorable information of immoderate national roads successful the state, including the Amasiri-Oso Eda road; Abakaliki-Afikpo expressway; Afikpo-Okigwe road; Abakaliki-Ikwo-Oferekpe road; Abakaliki-Enugu; Ngbo-Benue road; and Afikpo-Cross River road. Portions of immoderate of these roads are dilapidated and impassable.

In January, women of Ntsuruakpa Izhia Community successful Ohaukwu Local Government Area of the authorities took to the expressway, protesting alleged abandonment of Ezzangbo axis of Abakaliki-Enugu expressway.

The accepted ruler of Ntsuruakpa Izhia community, HRH Eze Joseph Ozogbuo Okafor, speaking connected the abandoned road, blamed the contractor handling the task and called for urgent enactment to avert further accidents causing the decease of those utilizing the road.

A assemblage person successful Ikwo, Chief Clement Orogbu, lamented the deplorable authorities of Ikwo-Oferekpe national road, which helium described arsenic a decease trap and impassable successful this rainy season.

“My assemblage has been cut-off from the municipality owed to atrocious road. This roadworthy leads to Cross Rivers. We are farmers but we cannot entree markets successful the municipality due to the fact that vehicles are ever trapped connected the road.

“We are calling connected the Federal Ministry of Works to travel to our assistance by reconstructing the roadworthy which is simply a decease trap. The fig of acc...