Some youths from Nekede Community in Owerri-West Local Government Area of Imo State have raised over N1.5 million to rehabilitate Nekede-Umuoma-FUTO-Ihiagwa trunk “B” Road.
The road was one of those said to have been constructed by the Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma and inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari, along with others amid fanfare during his recent visit to the state.
The Youth Chairman of the community, David Oguoma while speaking about the reason for embarking on the project, said they couldn’t fold their hands and watch the only road linking them to other parts of the metropolis remain in a terrible state, Daily Trust reports.
He explained that the roads in Nekede Ancient Kingdom started deteriorating in 1999, adding that no successive government has seen the rehabilitation of the road as important.
He added that there are over 50,000 people from all parts of Nigeria and beyond living in the community.
Oguoma also decried the poor state of roads in the Owerri West Local Government Area, saying former governor Achike Udenwa only did a small portion of the road during his tenure in office between 1999 and 2007.
According to him, the road was “awarded, constructed, completed and commissioned on the internet” during the tenure of Ikedi Ohakim between 2007 and 2011.
He added that during the reign of Emeka Ihedioha, he re-awarded the road and mobilised the contractor to the site but was removed by the Supreme Court before construction started.
“But when Governor Hope Uzodinma came on board, he gave a firm promise that he will rebuild the road, giving the word of exaltation from his Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Chief Declan Emelumba that the governor has re-awarded the road to another digital contractor and that in no distant time, the road would be fixed and become motorable, but since then till now nothing has been done on the road, it is very awful,” he said.
Oguoma called on the government, philanthropists, non-governmental organisations, and residents to assist in the ongoing rehabilitation of roads in the area.
