BY MONDAY ONYEKACHI UBANI

THE UMUAHIA/IKWUANO/IKOT EKPENE ROAD: A SHAMELESS ATTEMPT TO REWRITE A KNOWN STORY

I read with a mixture of amusement and sadness the statement credited to one Mr. Chidi Uwaeziozi, who claims to be the Controller of Works for Abia State in the Federal Ministry of Works.

In that statement, he asserted that the Umuahia/Ikwuano/Ikot Ekpene Road continues to be executed and funded by the Federal Government, apparently in response to recent remarks from the administration of His Excellency, Governor Alex Otti, which identified the project as a State-led intervention.

Ordinarily, such a claim would not deserve a response, especially as the Abia State Government has already addressed and refuted the misleading assertions contained in that statement. However, it is important that the people of Abia State, and indeed Nigerians, understand the true situation surrounding this vital road project.

Infrastructure remains the backbone of economic development. Roads in particular connect communities, facilitate trade, and reduce the burden of daily life for ordinary citizens. When such infrastructure is neglected, the consequences are severe: economic stagnation, increased transportation costs, wasted man-hours, and avoidable human suffering. Unfortunately, the story of the Umuahia/Ikwuano/Ikot Ekpene Road stands as a painful example of such neglect.

In 2019, during the administration of the late President Muhammadu Buhari, the Federal Government awarded the contract for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of this strategic road. For the people of Umuahia, Ikwuano, and surrounding communities, the announcement brought hope that long-awaited relief had finally arrived.

This road is not merely a local route. It is a critical economic corridor linking Abia State with Akwa Ibom State and providing further access to Cross River State and other parts of the South-South region. Its importance to commerce, agriculture, education, and social mobility cannot be overstated. Regrettably, more than seven years after the contract was awarded, the reality on the ground tells a different story.

Apart from a limited stretch of construction activity around Ndioru, particularly the portion between Ndioru Market and Okwe, there is little visible evidence of meaningful progress on the project. Even within Ndioru itself, the work done remains partial and far from comprehensive. Beyond that isolated effort, the road from Umuahia through Ikwuano toward Ikot Ekpene remains largely in a deplorable condition.

What is even more troubling is the pattern of incomplete and poorly coordinated construction that has characterized the project since its commencement. Several portions of the road were abandoned, thereby worsening the condition of the highway and making life even more difficult for motorists and residents.

Communities that depend on this road for commerce, farming, education, and access to healthcare have been left to endure hardship that could easily have been avoided if the project had been properly executed. The dangers associated with the road have even led to tragic consequences, including the loss of a young student some years ago.

Over time, the suffering of the people reached a breaking point.

Residents, traditional rulers, community leaders, and concerned citizens consistently raised their voices, drawing attention to the unacceptable condition of the road. Their agitation was not driven by politics; it was driven by survival. It was this persistent outcry, particularly from the people of Ikwuano, that eventually attracted the attention of the Governor of Abia State, Dr. Alex Otti, a leader widely admired for his commitment to practical governance and infrastructure renewal.

In response to the plight of the people, the Abia State Government took decisive steps by engaging the Federal Government and reaching an understanding that the State would intervene to reconstruct the road using a more competent and credible construction company. The mere announcement of this intervention rekindled hope among thousands of commuters and residents who had endured years of neglect, broken promises, and official indifference.

Ironically, just as the Abia State Government stepped forward to address the situation, the Federal Ministry of Works suddenly  woke up from slumber and announced that it was continuing work on the same project, an eight-year-old contract that ought to have been completed long ago. To many observers, this sudden awakening naturally raises questions about accountability and the efficient management of public resources.

It is difficult for the people to understand how a project that has lingered for nearly a decade with minimal progress can suddenly be presented as an active federal intervention. Such explanations understandably provoke frustration among communities that have borne the consequences of administrative inertia for years.

Nigeria must move beyond a culture where public infrastructure projects are endlessly delayed while citizens suffer the consequences. Road construction contracts should not become symbols of bureaucratic stagnation or political contestation. Instead, they should reflect government’s commitment to service, transparency, and timely delivery. At this critical moment, the priority should not be jurisdictional rivalry but the completion of the road. The people of Umuahia, Ikwuano, and neighbouring states deserve a safe and functional highway that supports economic activity and social mobility.

Governor Alex Otti, fondly described by many as “the man who sees road,” has already demonstrated through several infrastructure initiatives that decisive leadership can produce tangible results. If the State Government is willing and capable of delivering this long-awaited project, every sincere effort should be made to support that progress rather than obstruct it. Any attempt to frustrate genuine efforts to restore the road will naturally be resisted by citizens, especially Ikwuano people who have suffered long enough.

Public infrastructure exists for the benefit of the people, and governance must ultimately serve that purpose. The call from the people is therefore simple: let the road be completed without further delay.

As Governor Alex Otti continues to pursue reforms and development across Abia State, many Abians remain hopeful that the present momentum will not be distracted by political maneuvering or useless bureaucratic obstacles. The prayer of the people is that God will strengthen him, guide him, and enable him to deliver lasting development to Nde Abia. History often remembers leaders not merely for their promises, but for the roads they built, both literally and metaphorically.

For the people of Umuahia, Ikwuano, and Ikot Ekpene, the completion of this road will be more than an infrastructure project. It will represent the long-awaited restoration of dignity, opportunity, and hope.

Governor Otti, na ga n’iru, anyi sogi n’azu.

Dr. Monday Onyekachi Ubani, SAN, a Legal Practitioner, writes from Ikwuano in Abia State

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