AT IHIAGWA OWERRI WEST LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF IMO STATE, THE PEOPLE ARE SAD AND ANGRY. AND THE REASON? SINCE FIVE YEARS THERE IS TOTAL LACK OF BASIC AMENITIES IN THE AREA. CHIEF AMONG THE CHALLENGES CONFRONTING THE PEOPLE IS THE PROBLEM OF BAD ROADS. ACCORDING TO RESIDENTS ALL WITHIN THE COMMUNITY HAVE SUFFERED TOTAL NEGLECT FOR SO LONG ONLY THAT IN EVERY DRY SEASON THE WILL COME TO GRADE THE ROAD TO LEAVE IT FOR THE RAIN IN THE NEXT SEASON. AS A RESULT, THE ROADS HAVE ALL DILAPIDATED COMPLETELY AND BECOME IMPASSABLE, WITH BUSINESSES IN THE AREA NOW IN RUINS.
KINGSLEY IHUNWO A GRADUATE OF STATISTICS FROM FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY OWERRI IS ONE OF THE OKADA RIDER THAT PLY IHIAGWA UMUCHIMA EZIOBODO ROUTE. HE TOLD ABAGRAM REPORTERS THAT HE WENT INTO OKADA BUSINESS OUT OF FRUSTRATION AFTER FAILURE TO SECURE A JOB IN IMO STATE
HE SPOKE ON DAILY HASSLE OF PLYING THE ROADS OF IHIAGWA
DUE TO POOR CONDITION OF THE ROAD, WE NO LONGER GO THROUGH MAIN UMUCHIMA ROAD WE NOW GO THROUGH THE UMUELEM ROAD OR INSIDE THE UNIVERSITY TO BOYCOTT AMAHUSA ROAD.
ALSO WE CAN NO LONGER ACCESS THE ROAD INSIDE THE UNIVERSITY BECAUSE THAT PLACE IS ALSO GETTING BAD AND TAX FORCE THAT COLLECT MONEY FROM THEM.
PLEASE WE'RE USING THE MEDIUM TO BEG THE IMO STATE GOVERNMENT TO HELP US REPAIR THIS ROAD AND OTHER ROADS AROUND THIS AREA. IN THE WHOLE OF THIS AREA APART FROM OBINZE WHICH IS THE FEDERAL ROAD, ALL THE ROADS ARE IN A VERY HORRIBLE STATE.
THE SHOULD FIX THESE ROAD TO ENABLE US TO DO OUR BUSINESS, "HE PLEADED.
HE DISCLOSED THAT A DRIVE FROM TOWN TO IHIAGWA WHICH SHOULD NOT TAKE 1HOUR 30MINUTES, NOW TAKES 1HOUR 30MINUTES AND .HE REGRETTED THAT THE BULK OF THEIR INCOME IS USUALLY SPENT OR MOTORCYCLE MAINTENANCE. A RESIDENT OF THE AREA.
MRS OGECHI MARTINS RELAYED HER DAILY EXPERIENCE WHILE TAKING HER CHILDREN TO AND FROM SCHOOL. HER WORDS: "IN THIS UMUCHIMA COMMUNITY, THAT THIS ROADS IS IN SHAMBLES OF COURSE, YOU HAVE SEEN WHAT THE ROAD LOOKS LIKE. SOMETIME LAST YEAR THIS SAME GOVERNMENT CAME AND POURED RED MUD ON SOME PORTIONS OF IT, AND THE ABANDONED IT. THE ROAD TURN OUT TO BE A NIGHTMARE. THE CHALLENGES WE'VE BEEN HAVING ON THIS ROAD IS TERRIBLE. THE ROAD THAT LEAD OUTSIDE OF THE COMMUNITY IS BAD, THE ROAD FROM IHIAGWA MARKET TO OTAMIRI BRIDGE IS BAD, EVEN THE ON INSIDE UMUELEM UMUCHIMA IN THE COMMUNITY IS GETTING BAD EVERYDAY. THOSE OF US THAT ARE AROUND THE VILLAGE VERY CLOSE TO THE UNIVERSITY SUFFERED SO MUCH BECAUSE NO BIKE TO TAKE US FROM ARE HOME TO THE MAIN MARKET.
THIS ROAD HAS BECOME TOTALLY DILAPIDATED AND THE IMPACT IS TELLING ON US.
"FOR INSTANCE, AS A MOTHER WITH THREE KIDS, IT HAS NOT BEEN EASY TAKING MY CHILDREN TO AND FROM SCHOOL, PASSING THESE ROAD, ESPECIALLY IHIAGWA ROAD TO OBINZE, EVEN IN ONE DAY IS A TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE THAT NOBODY WOULD WANT TO HAVE. IT'S LIKE GOING THROUGH HELL. MOST TIMES YOU COME HOME TIRED AND FAGGED OUT, UNABLE TO CARRY OUT YOUR DUTIES AS A WIFE AND MOTHER."
SHE ALSO SPOKE ON THE IMPACT OF OF THE BAD ROADS ON THEIR VEHICLES. MOST PEOPLE HAVE PARKED THEIR CARS AT HOME. THEY PREFER USING COMMERCIAL VEHICLES NOW. VIRTUALLY EVERY DAY, YOU GO VISIT A MECHANIC. IT TERRIBLE. IT IS BAD.
I WISH AND PRAY THAT THROUGH THIS MEDIUM, THE GOVERNMENT WOULD SYMPATHIZE WITH US. WE'RE REALLY CALLING ON THEM. WE'RE SUFFERING SO MUCH SINCE THE PAST 4YEARS."
A FASTER FOOD OWNER WHOSE OUTLET IS ON THE SAME IHIAGWA OBINZE ROAD MR EZE JACOB DESCRIBED THE ROAD AS AN ENVIRONMENTAL MESS. HE SAID THE ROAD HAS BEEN A MAJOR SETBACK FOR BUSINESSMEN AND WOMEN IN THE AREA, HE ALWAYS SAID THE STATE OF THE ROAD SCARES AWAY PROSPECTIVE CUSTOMERS, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO COME IN THEIR VEHICLES. "WHEN THE THINK ABOUT THE CONDITION OF THE ROAD, IT DISCOURAGES THEM WE EARN A LIVING HERE BY THE GRACE OF GOD." HE STATED.
WE EXPECT THE GOVERNMENT OF GOVERNOR ROCHAS OKOROCHA TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT LAST 4YEARS, BUT THE ABANDONED US TO SUFFER, BUT NOW WE VOTED THE GOVERNOR IN, FOR THE SECOND TIME, HE SHOULD SAVE US FROM THIS ENVIRONMENTAL MESS. "WE ARE NOT ASKING FOR TOO MUCH. OUR LEADERS LOVE VIOLENCE AND THAT IS WHY VIOLENCE CURRENTLY PREVAILS ACROSS THE NATION. AND THE FRACTION OF PEOPLE CAUSING THEM SLEEPLESS NIGHTS NOW IS JUST FIVE PERCENT OF IDLE YOUTHS AND PERSONS.
THEY CAN THEN IMAGINE WHEN THE MAJORITY OF JOBLESS PERSONS AND YOUTHS IN THIS COUNTRY TAKES TO CRIME OR TAKE UP ARMS."
CHIJIOKE MBA A TRICYCLE DRIVER, SAID THE LEVEL OF DECAY ON THE ROADS IN THE COMMUNITY HAS LEFT PEOPLE DUMB, ALL THE MONEY WE MAKE WE SPEND IT ON REPAIRING OUR KEKE (TRICYCLE). AND WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN OUR FAMILIES AND OURSELVES.
IT IS VERY DIFFICULT, AS THE MACHANIC EATS ALMOST ALL THE MONEY WE MAKE ON DAILY BIAS. AT THE ENT OF THE DAY YOU END UP BORROWING MORE MONEY. YOU HUSTLE, YET YOU'RE A LIABILITY TO YOUR WIFE INSTEAD OF BEING THE CARETAKER. IT IS ANNOYING.
SO WE ARE CALLING ON THE SAME GOVERNOR, ROCHA OKOROCHA (S.A.M) TO SAVE US FROM THIS HORROR THAT WE ARE GOING THROUGH ON DAILY BASIS AND DO THE ROAD FOR US. LET WHAT PEOPLE SAID ABOUT YOU GOING BACK TO THE GOVERNMENT HOUSE NOT TO HAPPEN. THIS RAINING SEASON, IT HAS BECOME HELL. FROM NOKIA HOUSE AT NEKEDE TO UMUCHIMA ELU IS LESS THAN 20MINUTES, BUT NOW WE SPEND BETWEEN 30 AND 1HOUR BURNING AWAY FUEL. SO, GOVERNOR OWELLE SHOULD INTERVENE NOW AND HELP US DO THE ROAD NOT WHEN YOU ARE OUT, OR ARE YOU PLANING TO GO FOR THE 3RD TIME.
MISS CHIDINMA EMEZIE, RELIEVING HER EXPERIENCES SAID SHE WAS ALWAYS HAPPY EACH DAY AFTER RETURNING FROM SCHOOL. "GOING TO SCHOOL IS SUPPOSE TO BE FUN. BUT DUE TO THE BAD CONDITION OF OUR ROADS, MOST TIMES, GOING TO SCHOOL WAS STRESSFUL AND HELL BECAUSE THE ROADS ARE VERY BAD.
"WE ARE PLEADING WITH THE IMO STATE GOVERNMENT TO HELP US FIX THIS IHIAGWA UMUCHIMA ROAD UP TO UNIVERSITY FRONT GATE. EVERY WHERE IS JUST TERRIBLE. IS A NIGHTMARE PASSING ANY OF THE ROAD HERE WHEN IT RAINS."
IN THIS NIGERIA, WE HAVE SUFFERED. WE ARE SUFFERING AND NOBODY CARES."
SOURCE:http://abagram..com.ng/2015/08/rochas-hate-ihiagwa-people.html

OP, Typing in caps lock do hamper easy read, do rectify it!

I don see biz, I will buy canoe and flying boat. Imo state here I come!

Go and ask Iwuanyawu....heard he's the one responsible for always constructing that road with sub-standard materials...if not the obinze end which is handled by another firm will not be looking soo good after soo many years.