Johnkennedy Uzoma, Owerri
The Ilile Elites in Ilile autonomous community in Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State has expressed worries over the poor state of their road linking Obinze/Umuokanne Ilile and Umuapu communities.
The group made their position known when they paid courtesy visit to the Hon. Commissioner for Live Stock Development Hon. Obiageri Ajoku, called on the government in power to immediately come to their help by rehabilitating the road
The group, led in their visit by their patron, High Chief Godwin Achonwa, regretted that the sorry state of the road has given rise to continued attack and harassment of innocent people passing through the road by bandits.
They observed with dismay that further delay in the rehabilitation of the road would continue to encourage criminal activities such as armed robbery, kidnapping among others adding that criminals considering the ugly situation of the road continues to wreck havoc against users of the road.
The group appealed to the government to hasten up in the rehabilitation of the road adding that it is the only way to stop all manner of criminal activities in the area.
They also pointed out that the road is the only shortest road linking Ilile community and other neighbouring communities both in Imo and Rivers State adding that it also serves as a bypass for road users plying Owerri-Port Harcourt Expressway
The Ilile Elites frawned at the failure of the NDDC to extend the contract on the rehabilitation of the road to Ilile after working on Obinze Umuokanne road, describing it as unfortunate.
The delegation reminded that for many years, the community had been living in total darkness due to lack of electricity while calling on government to as a matter of urgency do something to fix electricity in their community.
Responding, Commissioner for Live Stock Development in the state, Hon. Obiageri Ajoku (Ada Ohaji) commended the group for coming describing the road as dangerous to the people of the community and Ohaji at large.
She reminded them that the Ilile/Umuapu road was captured in the last NDDC federal government budget during the time of Hon. Goodluck Opiah in the Federal House of Representative for rehabilitation but regretted that the project was not funded and that was why nothing has happened since then.
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She assured government’s readiness through Imo State Oil Producing Communities Development Commission ISOPADEC to rehabilitate the road pointing out that this would only be possible when the commission is constituted,
The commissioner said that if Hon. Opiah had gone for his second tenure, the road by now would have been rebuilt considering how dear the road is to him.
She said that communities in Ohaji/Egbema are in dear need of many things including electricity, roads, water, school buildings while condemning the past administration in the state for their failure to address certain needs of the people.
Obiageli used the visit to challenge the group to form Elitist group in Ohaji that is anchored on educating the younger people in the area adding that a lot of people need education to direct their vision and behaviour aright.
She called for reorientation of the youths in Ohaji to begin to think in the direction of marrying their women as wives rather going outside adding that such act would go a long way in addressing some of the anomalies in the area.
She advised them to shun social vices such as armed robbery, kidnapping, that is capable of tarnishing their future while urging them to rather engage in meaningful ventures that would promote healthy living.
She commended Governor Hope Uzodimma for his developmental strides and numerous achievements so far recorded within the shortest time since assumption of office.
Present in the visit include High Chief Godwin Achonwa – the patron, Basil Ogugua, Johnkennedy Uzoma, and Chidi Ukpabi.
