AWKA RESIDENTS LAMENT POOR CONITION OF CITY ROADS
REPORTER: UCHE NDEKE
Recently the Anambra State Government under Professor Chukwuma Soludo announced that it had commenced repair of roads within the area following their near total collapse.
The statement was greeted with high hopes and commendations from residents, including motorists and road users, who said they were already avoiding many parts of the state capital due to deplorable state of roads in the area.
However, few weeks after, some residents say they are yet to see any work going on within the state capital contrary to the Governor’s claims.
According to some respondents, Awka has not had it good when it comes to good access roads since it assumed the status of a state capital.
Some of the bad portions posing nightmare to residents and motorists, include Unizik Temporary Site Junction, Y-Junction, Back of CBN, Regina Caeli Junction, Nodu road and Goodwill Junction.
Other spots begging for attention are portions leading to the state secretariat, Aroma by High Tension, Igwe Okpuno Junction, Ezinifite by Woman Lecturer, Tipper Garage Nodu, Mopol base road, Roban road, NUT Secretariat road, among many other roads.
The deplorable state of the roads according to a resident, Mr. Mike Okotie, has become a serious challenge to small business owners who no longer find it easy to move out for buying and selling.
A road user and Wine Dealer in Awka, Mr. Paul Okolo expressed regret that for over one month after the announcement of state of emergency was declared by Governor Soludo, the sand that were heaped in front of Keke Park at Unizik Junction remained untouched, thereby causing serious gridlock to road users.
For a journalist, Mr. Jude Atupulazi, the capital city has been grounded by bad portions of road that require urgent government attention, including the points before Amawbia Flyover along the expressway.
A civil Society activist, Prince Chris Azor, while stressing the importance of good roads to the development of Society, acknowledged that the Governor just submitted a draft revised budget to the State Assembly, which had road construction and infrastructure accounts for more than 50%.
He therefore noted the need for the people to be patient with the new administration, especially with all the escalating violent attacks, arson and killings, which no doubt affected development generally.
A concerned citizen in Awka, Comrade Obi Ochije, described the roads in Awka as an eyesore.
He however expressed the belief that the rainy season might be a contributory factor to the delay in commencement of work as intended by the new administration.
For a community woman leader, Mrs. Tina Igbasi, though the roads needed government attention, she was optimistic that the new administration would not disappoint the people’s expectations.
Also, a politician in the state, Mr. Okelo Madukaife, noted that it was not enough to declare a state of emergency on roads rather efforts should be made to take conscious actions that would keep the roads repaired and maintained at all times.
He, however, expressed worry about the lack of elected local government administration, which would have been carrying out grassroots development if it were fully operational as the state government had other strategic responsibilities.
When contacted, the Commissioner for Works, Mr. Ifeanyi Okoma, said government was already working out plans to redesign the roads to fit into the dream of the present administration of having a smart mega liveable city.
According to Mr. Okoma, most of the roads that were recently built by previous administrations had been washed away by the rains, hence the need for government to take time to come up with roads that would last ten to fifteen years without begging for repairs.
The people are no doubt full of expectation that the new administration in Anambra State will live up to the promises made to them before and after assuming office on March 17, 2022.
