If having communities in a state connected with roads is a symptom of development, Imo state under Gov. Rochas Okorocha is hitting a very high score. It is hard to get any autonomous community in Imo state today without one or two asphalted roads connecting it to the rest of the state and Nigeria. The quality of the roads is another discourse.

A striking phenomenon was observed during the numerous May 2013 trips across the three senatorial zones of the state: people in the rural areas hardly demonstrated any sense of disconnect from the urban centres, thanks to the connecting roads and telecommunication networks. Also, larger than usual concentrations of people in the rural areas could be noticed, and they seemed to love living where they were found; they hardly took any second glance of suspicion or envy on any posh vehicle or gorgeous stranger passing through their domain. It was hard to distinguish them from the urban folks. In fact, in some of the rural areas, one could notice some bars as trendy as the ones found in the cities; as well as plush cars passing by or parked in elegant rural homes. The state’s Community Policing network (State Police?) was striving hard to keep crime at the barest minimum. Members of the security network did not extort money from the people.

If it is right that availability of access roads to any area increases the value of immovable properties in the area, the people of Imo state and their government are on the right move.
But there is a snag: pipe-borne water supply, the hallmark of any city is hard to come by in any of the so-called cities in Imo state. For domestic water supply, people depended mostly on buying water from private water boreholes and from truck-loaded water-selling tankers. Gov. Okorocha-led government said it had privatized water supply in the state. Whatever government intended by that, fact is that in many areas of the state (save for the now dysfunctional multibillion Naira regional water supply structures left behind in Okigwe and Owerri by Sam Mbakwe-led administration), there are no infrastructures laid down by successive governments of the state upon which private water supply companies can lay hands if and when they come up.

Yes, water is supplied mostly by private companies in the developed world, but governments in those countries did put some functional water supply infrastructures on ground before selling them off to private water supply companies. Aside the known risk factors in consumption of untreated water from private boreholes, all shall not be well with Imo state’s underneath and her aquifer if more and more of the families in the state continue to sink boreholes for water.

At this level of development of Imo state, the state government is beseeched to retake its responsibility of providing citizens with sustainable running water supply schemes at the end of its road construction programme.

Owerri, Okigwe and Orlu - the three major urban centres in the state - are also witnessing an unprecedented show of urban drainage and road construction, with street light and greenery in tow.
And the three towns seem to have their different characteristics and development speeds under the present state administration.

Owerri the capital city of Imo state has expanded in leaps and bounds over the years. Study, trade and civil service boom here. The New Owerri side of the city is beautiful to behold, with its numerous wide, greenly and sufficiently illuminated streets.

But the main roads that enter Owerri are often a motorist’s nightmare owing to the city’s population burst and consequent traffic-jams. You dare not fix a time for any appointment here, as you may at anytime find yourself stuck for long periods in the city’s traffic.

However, Owerri’s population is bound to grow further as the city is blessed with two rivers that criss-cross it; the rivers guarantee that whenever the city’s water works dry up, and owners of private boreholes lock their huge gates, inhabitants can resort to the two rivers of Otamiri and Nworie for succour.

Orlu is an expansive living centre with different communities so mixed up by rapid urbanisation that a stranger can hardly realize when he/she crosses the boundaries between the communities. And with too many urban roads in tow - some drained and asphalted, many still as virgin as when they were first opened - Orlu is also benefitting from the present administration’s urban roads and drainage largesse. Prominent among the largesse is the recommencement of construction works on the city’s drainage system and roads which were started by the administration of late Amadi Ikwechegh, but were ignored by successive administrations in the state. The present administration also embarked on dualization of the city’s principal roads as well as on drainage and asphalting of others. Orlu has no river that crosses it. Its inhabitants depend solely on water tankers and private water boreholes for water supply.

Okigwe is another fast developing urban centre in the state. Located on a hill with a beautiful scenery along the PH-Enugu expressway, the town is fast wearing a new look with urban drainage and roads network. Private water boreholes and water-selling tankers sustain the city. The legendary Imo River sourced from this area, as well as water that flows from the numerous rocks in the hilly city also serve the inhabitants as a last resort for domestic water supply.




Photos:


(1) A prototype of the inter-and intra-community roads now under construction all over Imo state.

(2)Hundreds of roads like these are now joining most of the autonomous communities in Imo state to the rest of the state and Nigeria.

(3)Drainage is usually put in place before asphalt is applied on most of the roads. In many places, natives dig it out with bad construction firms who would want to asphalt without first building drainage. At the end, the natives usually have their ways.

(4)Hundreds of heavy equipments like these dot the nooks and crannies of Imo state doing road construction jobs.

(5 Owerri: Entrance to newly-built Freedom Square under construction

(6)One of the many manicured roundabouts in New Owerri. This is on Musa Yar’Adua Avenue

(7) One of the many beautiful broadways in New Owerri; many of them are still under construction.

(Owerri. Green but with traffic gridlock

(9) Owerri: Making a U-turn owing to traffic-jams along Assumpta Avenue. To avert these traffic jams, a new dual carriage way has since been completed to join Wetherel Rd to Aba Rd at Naze; while a new one is going on to join Onitsha Rd to Orlu Rd. Work on the flyover at Egbeada junction, is progressing.

(10) Owerri: At traffic control points, Owerri traffic chaos can easily induce tiredness on motorists, as well as on traffic control officers as suggests above: broad way romance between traffic control officers and motorists accused of traffic offences?

(11) Owerri: suffering and smiling as she meanders through traffic-jams.

(12) Owerri: Uniformed men of Imo Traffic Control Agency. For even a minor traffic offence, your vehicle is taken into their premises where you may be handed a fine as high as Twenty-Five Thousand Naira, (N25000) to pay before you have your vehicle back.

(13) Okigwe: A road in Okigwe city undergoing dualization.


(14) Okigwe: A dual carriageway (Owerri Road) undergoing construction with horizontal marks already in place.

(15) Okigwe city centre roundabout with central dual carriageways approaching it nearing completion.

(16) Okigwe: A lengthy urban road in Okigwe undergoing construction.

(17) Isiala Mbano near Okigwe: The dual carriageway built here by former governor of Imo state, Ikedi Ohakim. The road passes through his domain.

(18) Okigwe: A dam on the Imo River at the outskirts of Okigwe. It was built by a foreign firm during the state administration led by late Sam Mbakwe. It was meant to supply running water to Okigwe. But Okigwe has no running water yet - nonetheless, from the dam.

(19) Okigwe and its Regional Water supply scheme: Dashed hopes for treated running water? This dammed portion of Imo River meant to supply Okigwe city and environs with pipe-borne water is now used by youths for a swimming pool. Multi-billion Naira Surface Regional Water Supply schemes like this were also built by Sam Mbakwe-led administration in Umuahia, Owerri and Aba. These cities fruitfully utilized or still utilize the schemes. Similar scheme then proposed for Orlu has yet to be built. Okigwe water supply scheme could not be completed before the military struck in 1983.

(20) Still on Okigwe and its regional water supply scheme: Huge water supply pipes like the ones above are lying underneath all over Okigwe and its environs waiting for water to be pumped into them. Since the exit of the Sam Mbakwe-led administration, no other administration has been able to articulate a method to treat and reticulate water from this dam to supply running water to people living in Okigwe city and its environs.

(21) Okigwe: Okigwe-Akokwa-Nnewi-Oba federal road. The portion above near Okigwe is about the best segment of the road navigated from Okigwe to Akokwa.

(22) Ideator North: a segment of the nearly completed but abandoned Awka-Orlu-Owerri federal road.



(23) Ideator North: another segment of the nearly completed but abandoned Awka-Orlu-Owerri federal road. The road contractor failed to build a tunnel for a bridge over the small Orashi River; road certified completed many years ago but never through or accessed - billions of Naira washed down the drains.

(24) Ideator South, near Orlu: A roundabout undergoing construction along Orlu-Akokwa road (near the site once proposed by this administration for location of IMSU).

(25) A small portion of the building infrastructure at the once-proposed site for IMSU in Ogboko, Ideator South LGA.


(26) Orlu: A dual carriage way under construction behind Sam Okwaraji stadium.

(27) Orlu: Ihioma Road undergoing dualization.

(28) Orlu: Central roundabout under construction.


(29) Orlu: The main road to the state university teaching hospital. It has remained that way for months. Ironically, the hospital remained a beehive of activity.

(30) Orlu - school hours: A young lad on water runs from the nearest water borehole site. All of Orlu area is characterized by scenes like this.

(31) Orlu: Banana roundabout under construction.

(32) Orlu: City Gate under construction on Old and New Owerri roads.

Benedict Okereke
obenok@hotmail.com


Photos below:
1) A prototype of the intra- and inter-community roads now under construction all over Imo state.

(2) Hundreds of roads like these are now joining most of the autonomous communities in Imo state to the rest of the state and Nigeria.

(3) Drainage is usually put in place before asphalt is applied on most of the roads. In many places, natives dig it out with bad construction firms who would want to asphalt without first building drainage. At the end, the natives usually have their ways.

(4) Hundreds of heavy equipments like these dot the nooks and crannies of Imo state doing road construction jobs.

Well, since this is intra-community i'll overlook the quality and give a 'cautious' kudos!

IGBO-SON:
Well, since this is intra-community i'll overlook the quality and give a 'cautious' kudos!

HORRIBLE JOB DONE....THE CONTRACTOR SHOULD BE JAILED AND CASTRATED

JIGHU:

HORRIBLE JOB DONE....THE CONTRACTOR SHOULD BE JAILED AND CASTRATED

thats the kind of job,Arab contractors are doing at port harcourt road Owerri

There are about 27 other photos, the system would not allow me post the others or what? Tried but can't.

those rural roads do not look like something that would last...funny that the villagers have to fight the contractors to build drainages..@op try and upload other pics or contact seun to help you.

norabenok :
There are about 27 other photos, the system would not allow me post the others or what? Tried but can't.

^^^So where are the other pics......esp' those of Owerri?

IGBO-SON:
Well, since this is intra-community i'll overlook the quality and give a 'cautious' kudos!

I'll agree with you. The road is not superb but it's commendable considering the fact that the peoople who live in those places may never have dreamed of having a road there.

norabenok :
There are about 27 other photos, the system would not allow me post the others or what? Tried but can't.

What error message are you getting?

IGBO-SON:


^^^So where are the other pics......esp' those of Owerri?

Photos:
(5) Owerri: Entrance to newly-built Freedom Square under construction

(6)One of the many manicured roundabouts in New Owerri. This is on Musa Yar’Adua Avenue

(7) One of the many beautiful broadways in New Owerri; many of them are still under construction.

( Owerri. Green but with traffic gridlock

The drainages are below average. Don't tell me that billions of naira have been wasted again.

norabenok :
There are about 27 other photos, the system would not allow me post the others or what? Tried but can't.

Try to resize the pictures to the right sizes and post them.

@Benedict or OP
I do wonder if you are close to or working for Imo state Government.
I strongly commend the construction of the local roads, but appalled at the suitability for the area.
Over several years, governments in the south East have failed to ask the question on why the roads they build hardly lasts up to five years. I can see that the use of drainages was aimed at curbing the effect of the high water run off(erosion) but it is not enough.

As an Engineer, I have given this some good thoughts. Various factors such as Heavy duty vehicles, parking vehicles climbing up or going down the tarmac edges lead to initiation of cracks. Once initiated, eroded water run-off will attack the cracks as they are propagated. The key then is stopping the crack propagation as well as directing water run off.

The Solution:
In all cases, drainage is needed, and gently sloping the road from its mid-point will help direct run off to the drainage.
Secondly, and very important is controlling crack propagation by tilling the road. The gap between tiles serves as weak line that prevent crack or fracture initiation or propagation. These kinds of roads are easily seen in coastal areas(e.g Ajose Adeogun St. in V.I Lagos).

Sounds costly right? I think if the state government can establish a concrete plant to make the blocks and coat them with thick Asphalt, they can employ manual labour in laying the tiles, after making the drainage and using Heavy Equipment for the ground packing. They will be creating a lot of jobs in the rural areas and it might turnout to be cheaper, if a plant makes all the tiling block which are then transported to site.

Also in the short term any re-working of the road will only involve recovering the blocks, repacking the sands or concreting eroded sections before re-placing the tiles. Communities can do this on their own with little government help.

KenGali: @Benedict or OP
I do wonder if you are close to or working for Imo state Government.
I strongly commend the construction of the local roads, but appalled at the suitability for the area.
Over several years, governments in the south East have failed to ask the question on why the roads they build hardly lasts up to five years. I can see that the use of drainages was aimed at curbing the effect of the high water run off(erosion) but it is not enough.

As an Engineer, I have given this some good thoughts. Various factors such as Heavy duty vehicles, parking vehicles climbing up or going down the tarmac edges lead to initiation of cracks. Once initiated, eroded water run-off will attack the cracks as they are propagated. The key then is stopping the crack propagation as well as directing water run off.

The Solution:
In all cases, drainage is needed, and gently sloping the road from its mid-point will help direct run off to the drainage.
Secondly, and very important is controlling crack propagation by tilling the road. The gap between tiles serves as weak line that prevent crack or fracture initiation or propagation. These kinds of roads are easily seen in coastal areas(e.g Ajose Adeogun St. in V.I Lagos).

Sounds costly right? I think if the state government can establish a concrete plant to make the blocks and coat them with thick Asphalt, they can employ manual labour in laying the tiles, after making the drainage and using Heavy Equipment for the ground packing. They will be creating a lot of jobs in the rural areas and it might turnout to be cheaper, if a plant makes all the tiling block which are then transported to site.

Also in the short term any re-working of the road will only involve recovering the blocks, repacking the sands or concreting eroded sections before re-placing the tiles. Communities can do this on their own with little government help.

Engineer, I am an independent observer. Read my observation at the beginning of this topic. Just uploaded it now.
Photos:

(9) Owerri: Making a U-turn owing to traffic-jams along Assumpta Avenue. To avert these traffic jams, a new dual carriage way has since been completed to join Wetherel Rd to Aba Rd at Naze; while a new one is going on to join Onitsha Rd to Orlu Rd. Work on the flyover at Egbeada junction, is progressing.

(10) Owerri: At traffic control points, Owerri traffic chaos can easily induce tiredness on motorists, as well as on traffic control officers as suggests above: broad way romance between traffic control officers and motorists accused of traffic offense?


(11) Owerri: suffering and smiling as she meanders through traffic-jams.

(12) Owerri: Uniformed men of Imo Traffic Control Agency. For even a minor traffic offence, your vehicle is taken into their premises where you may be handed a fine as high as Twenty-Five Thousand Naira, (N25000) to pay before you have your vehicle back.

asha 80: those rural roads do not look like something that would last...funny that the villagers have to fight the contractors to build drainages..@op try and upload other pics or contact seun to help you.

^^^Compare them to what Akpabio (even Obi of Anambra) constructs in his state. But as they say, 'half bread is better than non!

Though someone should tell Rochas to improve the quality of his contracts and his contractors. Can someone tell me why our contractors and builders can't seem to carry out cutting edge, precision engineered jobs with good finishing?

payless:


Try to resize the pictures to the right sizes and post them.

Yeah, but it seems the system browser does not allow to upload more than four photos at a time. Or is there any other method to do mass upload, Sir?
Photos:
(13) Okigwe: A road in Okigwe city undergoing dualization.

(14) Okigwe: A dual carriageway (Owerri Road) undergoing construction with horizontal marks already in place.


(15) Okigwe city centre roundabout with central dual carriageways approaching it nearing completion.

(16) Okigwe: A lengthy urban road in Okigwe undergoing construction

IGBO-SON:


^^^Compare them to what Akpabio (even Obi of Anambra) constructs in his state. But as they say, 'half bread is better than non!

Though someone should tell Rochas to improve the quality of his contracts and his contractors. Can someone tell me why our contractors and builders can't seem to carry out cutting edge, precision engineered jobs with good finishing?

i think obi places heavy emphasis on rural roads hence he does not seem to joke with them...really do not want to compare with akpabio because the kind of finance akpabio can play with.i feel that rural roads by rochas is a bit of an after though unlike urban roads.

on a more serious note in the future infrastructure should be concetrated more in rural than urban areas.the conjestion of owerri is a testament of that fact.

asha 80: i think obi places heavy emphasis on rural roads hence he does not seem to joke with them...really do not want to compare with akpabio because the kind of finance akpabio can play with.i feel that rural roads by rochas is a bit of an after though unlike urban roads.

Photos:
(17) Isiala Mbano near Okigwe: The dual carriageway built here by former governor of Imo state, Ikedi Ohakim. The road passes through his domain.

(18) Okigwe: A dam on the Imo River at the outskirts of Okigwe. It was built by a foreign firm during the state administration led by late Sam Mbakwe. It was meant to supply running water to Okigwe. But Okigwe has no running water yet - nonetheless, from the dam.

(19) Okigwe's Regional Water supply scheme: Dashed hopes for treated running water? This dammed portion of Imo River meant to supply Okigwe city and environs with pipe-borne water is now used by youths for a swimming pool. Multi-billion Naira Surface Regional Water Supply schemes like this were also built by Sam Mbakwe-led administration in Umuahia, Owerri and Aba. These cities fruitfully utilized or still utilize the schemes. Similar scheme then proposed for Orlu has yet to be built. Okigwe water supply scheme could not be completed before the military struck in 1983.

(20) Still on Okigwe and its regional water supply scheme: Huge water supply pipes like the ones above are lying underneath all over Okigwe and its environs waiting for water to be pumped into them. Since the exit of the Sam Mbakwe-led administration, no other administration has been able to articulate a method to treat and reticulate water from this dam to supply running water to people living in Okigwe city and its environs

norabenk abeg try post the remaining pics

asha 80: on a more serious note in the future infrastructure should be concetrated more in rural than urban areas.the conjestion of owerri is a testament of that fact.

More Photos:
(21) Okigwe: Okigwe-Akokwa-Nnewi-Oba federal road. The portion above near Okigwe is about the best segment of the road navigated from Okigwe to Akokwa.

(22) Ideator North: a segment of the nearly completed but abandoned Awka-Orlu-Owerri federal road.

(23) Ideator North: another segment of the nearly completed but abandoned Awka-Orlu-Owerri federal road. The road contractor failed to build a tunnel for a bridge over the small Orashi River; road certified completed many years ago but never through or accessed - billions of Naira washed down the drains.

(24) Ideator South, near Orlu: A roundabout undergoing construction along Orlu-Akokwa road (near the site once proposed by this administration for location of IMSU).

norabenok :


More Photos:
(21) Okigwe: Okigwe-Akokwa-Nnewi-Oba federal road. The portion above near Okigwe is about the best segment of the road navigated from Okigwe to Akokwa.

(22) Ideator North: a segment of the nearly completed but abandoned Awka-Orlu-Owerri federal road.

(23) Ideator North: another segment of the nearly completed but abandoned Awka-Orlu-Owerri federal road. The road contractor failed to build a tunnel for a bridge over the small Orashi River; road certified completed many years ago but never through or accessed - billions of Naira washed down the drains.

(24) Ideator South, near Orlu: A roundabout undergoing construction along Orlu-Akokwa road (near the site once proposed by this administration for location of IMSU).

the first picture u posted here is erosion waiting to happen

asha 80: the first picture u posted here is erosion waiting to happen

Photos

(25) Ideator South, about 4 kilometers from Orlu: A small portion of the building infrastructure at the once-proposed site for IMSU in Ogboko.

(26) Orlu: A dual carriage way under construction behind Sam Okwaraji stadium.

(27) Orlu: Ihioma Road undergoing dualization.

(28) Orlu: Central roundabout under construction

where is the infrastructure?

The 1st roads are inner rural roads that no one ever imagined could ever be constructed. There is nothing wrong with them as per their purpose but I can attest that major rural roads are better. @poster please could you label the pictures so that we know the exact points they were taken.

Crassus: where is the infrastructure?

Photos:
(29) Orlu: The main road to the state university teaching hospital. It has remained that way for months. Ironically, the hospital remained a beehive of activity.

(30) Orlu - school hours: A young lad on water runs from the nearest water borehole site. All of Orlu area is characterized by scenes like this.

(32) Orlu: City Gate under construction on Old and New Owerri roads.

[quote author=norabenok ][/quote]

IGBO-SON:


^^^Compare them to what Akpabio (even Obi of Anambra) constructs in his state. But as they say, 'half bread is better than non!

Though someone should tell Rochas to improve the quality of his contracts and his contractors. Can someone tell me why our contractors and builders can't seem to carry out cutting edge, precision engineered jobs with good finishing?

Akpabio has not constructed any single intra-community road . He has focused mainly on inter-community roads and major roads. What Rochas is doing is going further than just connecting communities but touching the inner parts of the communities. These kinds of roads are called NDDC roads and expected to serve limited traffic.

water logged uncompleted road and a guy with wheelbarrow is what u are calling infrastructure

People are swimming in that murky and dirty water? Lawd have mercy....

wawu