ADVERTISEMENT
The Sun Nigeria
  • National
  • Columns
    • Broken Tongues
    • Capital Matters
    • Diabetes Corner
    • Duro Onabule
    • Femi Adesina
    • Frank Talk
    • Funke Egbemode
    • Insights
    • Kalu Leadership Series
    • Kunle Solaja
    • Offside Musings
    • PressClips
    • Public Sphere
    • Ralph Egbu
    • Shola Oshunkeye
    • Sideview
    • The Flipside – Eric Osagie
    • Tola Adeniyi
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • The Sun TV
  • Sporting Sun
No Result
View All Result
  • National
  • Columns
    • Broken Tongues
    • Capital Matters
    • Diabetes Corner
    • Duro Onabule
    • Femi Adesina
    • Frank Talk
    • Funke Egbemode
    • Insights
    • Kalu Leadership Series
    • Kunle Solaja
    • Offside Musings
    • PressClips
    • Public Sphere
    • Ralph Egbu
    • Shola Oshunkeye
    • Sideview
    • The Flipside – Eric Osagie
    • Tola Adeniyi
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • The Sun TV
  • Sporting Sun
No Result
View All Result
The Sun Nigeria
No Result
View All Result
ADVERTISEMENT
Home Features

Bold steps on Imo roads

9th December 2020
in Features
0
Bold steps on Imo roads
0
SHARES
243
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

From Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri

Truth is that, any person who passed the Owerri/Orlu and Owerri/Okigwe roads in the last two years, even during the dry season, would ask whether Imo State ever had a governor. But, three governors, Chief Rochas Okorocha, Chief Emeka Ihedioha and the incumbent, Senator Hope Uzodimma, presided over the state this period.

A visitor to the Eastern Heartland State would be wondering what became of the clean city built by Chief Sam Mbakwe as governor in the Second Republic with well-paved roads and drainage system. Attempts by Okorocha to change the trend ended in poor quality works, which earned most of the roads done then the sobriquet of “China roads.”

The state chapter of Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) had in a letter to the then Commissioner for Works on June 1, 2018, alleged that government destroyed both public and private properties valued at over N58 billion in the course of its urban renewal programme. It also resulted in the destruction of telecommunication, water pipes and electrical cables worth N25 billion. The society said the needless destruction of infrastructure and waste of state resources was because quacks were engaged to execute the programme.

While some people blamed Okorocha’s urban renewal programme for the eye sore Owerri had turned to, others said that it was not time for blame game. Instead, they urged that the deplorable state of roads, worsened during rainy needed urgent remedy.

On Monday, November 30, Uzodimma tackled the Owerri/Orlu and Owerri/Okigwe roads. He said the reconstruction will gulp N55 billion and be completed in 18 months. He did the flag-off with traditional rulers and stakeholders in full attendance.

Chairman of traditional rulers’ council, Eze Thomas Obiefule of Orlu, said: the road had deprived the Orlu zone of good business opportunities: “We have suffered a lot on this road, we have never had a smooth ride on it for the past 30 years, it will take you ages to get to your destination.”

Another traditional ruler from the zone, Eze E. C. Okeke, said there was no better time than now for the roads to be constructed: “This festive season how would it have looked like if the roads were not given attention.”

Eze Cletus Ilomuanya who also witnessed the flag-off ceremony said: “This road has been abandoned for some time now. It will be a relief to ply on it to Owerri from Orlu.”

A commercial bus driver, Damian, recounted how his vehicles and others plying the road for commercial purpose had always gulped money as they visited the mechanics workshop almost after every trip: “Driving on this road is a big problem, we constantly visit the mechanic because of the nature of the road, sometimes we spend countless hours on the road especially during the rainy season; vehicles get trapped in the bad spots.”

Chairperson of Orlu Local Government, Mrs Ifeoma Ndukwu, described the road as a complete death trap. She said over 15 vehicles were involved in fatal accidents on the road recently.

Uzodimma disclosed that the roads had become necessary to enhance the economic activities of the state. He said that previous administrations had neglected the major roads, but declared that his administration was here to right the wrongs of his predecessors: “These roads will be delivered on good time. They (contractors) will work day and night to give us exactly what we want.

“These roads are important to our people because it has been left in the hands of amateur contractors. Since our late governor, Sam Mbakwe, built that road over 30 years ago, administrations after him have constantly engaged small contractors. Today, we are giving you a better one.”

At Okigwe, where the governor also flagged off the Owerri/Okigwe Road, Speaker, State House of Assembly, Paul Emeziem, said: “Everybody knows that the road has been in a terrible shape for decades. It became a death trap especially the Eke-Emele area, vehicles can spend several hours at this spot.”

The contractors said the road would also create employment for the people for the duration of construction.

 

Tags: Chief Emeka IhediohaMrs Ifeoma Ndukwunigerian society of engineers
Rapheal

Rapheal

Related Posts

Death by WhatsApp
Features

Death by WhatsApp

4th August 2022
Human trafficking:  How Nigerians are  lured, recruited  online –NAPTIP DG
Features

Human trafficking: How Nigerians are lured, recruited online –NAPTIP DG

4th August 2022
ASUU strike:  Parents mull nationwide protest
Features

ASUU strike: Parents mull nationwide protest

3rd August 2022
Next Post

Gov. Zulum in “Zululand”

Limitation on election expenses (1)

Magu accuses govs of inflating security votes

Assets declaration: Magu honours CCB invitation

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Highlights

Death by WhatsApp

Pantami reaffirms FG’s commitment to indigenous telecoms content, as Danbatta lauds efforts

Dangote bags Nigerien national honour for intervention health sector

NBC slams N15m fine on Trust TV, Multichoice, NTA-Startimes

GCR affirms NOVA Merchant Bank National Scale Long and Short-term Issuer Ratings of BBB (NG)/A3(NG); stable outlook

FX repatriation’ll cushion pressure on dollar demand –CBN

Trending

Hunter recovers 43 guns, 1,117 ammunition in Bauchi, hands them over to police
Sports

AITEO CUP: Nasarawa United through to next round, set to play insurance of Benin 

4th August 2022
0

From Abel Leonard, Lafia Nasarawa United stunned Sokoto United in a dramatic penalty shootout at the Ahmadu...

Sacking NSA won’t solve Nigeria’s security problems, Aduwo tells PMB

Sacking NSA won’t solve Nigeria’s security problems, Aduwo tells PMB

4th August 2022
Letter to Independent National Electoral Commission (1)

Who will save the naira?

4th August 2022
Death by WhatsApp

Death by WhatsApp

4th August 2022
FEC mum on Pantami’s alleged previous link to Al-Qaeda, Taliban

Pantami reaffirms FG’s commitment to indigenous telecoms content, as Danbatta lauds efforts

4th August 2022
ADVERTISEMENT

Follow us on social media:

Latest News

  • AITEO CUP: Nasarawa United through to next round, set to play insurance of Benin 
  • Sacking NSA won’t solve Nigeria’s security problems, Aduwo tells PMB
  • Who will save the naira?
  • Death by WhatsApp
  • Pantami reaffirms FG’s commitment to indigenous telecoms content, as Danbatta lauds efforts
  • Dangote bags Nigerien national honour for intervention health sector
  • NBC slams N15m fine on Trust TV, Multichoice, NTA-Startimes
  • GCR affirms NOVA Merchant Bank National Scale Long and Short-term Issuer Ratings of BBB (NG)/A3(NG); stable outlook
  • FX repatriation’ll cushion pressure on dollar demand –CBN
  • BUA donates clinic, school worth N280m to Sokoto community
  • Julius Berger’s subsidiary honours long-serving staff, commissions office extension in Abuja
  • Roadto 2023: Defections open Bayelsa PDP Pandora box
  • IGP, top officers discuss operational response
  • Security concerns more pressing than 2023 elections –Olawepo Hashim
  • Osinbajo tasks defence college on security strategies
  • Don’t assess Tinubu on performance of Buhari’s administration –Oshiomole
  • Worsening insecurity: Military implementing new strategies –Irabor
  • Attack on AIG: Terrorists struggling to score psychological point – FG
  • Why we bought N1.14bn worth of vehicles for Niger Republic –FG
  • 2023: PDP BoT meets Atiku, to parley Wike over crisis

Categories

  • Abuja Metro
  • Anambra Watch
  • Arts
  • Broken Tongues
  • Business
  • Business Week
  • Cartoons
  • Citizen Joe
  • Columns
  • Cover
  • Culture
  • Duro Onabule
  • Editorial
  • Education Review
  • Effect
  • Elections
  • Entertainment
  • Events
  • Features
  • Femi Adesina
  • Food & Drinks
  • Frank Talk
  • Funke Egbemode
  • Gallery
  • Global Square by Kenneth Okonkwo
  • Health
  • Insights
  • Kalu Leadership Series
  • Kunle Solaja
  • Kunle Solaja
  • Letters
  • Lifeline
  • Lifestyle
  • Literary Review
  • Marketing Matters
  • Muiz Banire
  • National
  • News
  • Offside Musings
  • Opinion
  • oriental news
  • Politics
  • Press Release
  • PressClips
  • Public Sphere
  • Ralph Egbu
  • Shola Oshunkeye
  • Sideview
  • South-west Magazine
  • Sponsored Post
  • Sporting Sun
  • Sports
  • Sun Girl
  • Tea Time
  • The Flipside – Eric Osagie
  • The Sun Awards Live
  • The Sun TV
  • Thoughts & Talks
  • Time Out
  • Today's cover
  • Tola Adeniyi
  • Travel
  • Travel & Tourism
  • Trending
  • TSWeekend
  • Turf Game
  • Uncategorized
  • Updates
  • Views from Abroad
  • Voices
  • World
  • World News
  • About Us
  • Paper Ad Rate
  • Online Ad Rate
  • Change of Name
  • The Team
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy

© 2019 The Sun Nigeria - Managed by Netsera.

No Result
View All Result
  • National
  • Columns
    • Broken Tongues
    • Capital Matters
    • Diabetes Corner
    • Duro Onabule
    • Femi Adesina
    • Frank Talk
    • Funke Egbemode
    • Insights
    • Kalu Leadership Series
    • Kunle Solaja
    • Offside Musings
    • PressClips
    • Public Sphere
    • Ralph Egbu
    • Shola Oshunkeye
    • Sideview
    • The Flipside – Eric Osagie
    • Tola Adeniyi
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • The Sun TV
  • Sporting Sun

© 2019 The Sun Nigeria - Managed by Netsera.